That's The Time We Leave
by Jude Rigby
Summary: Castle, Beckett, their family and friends head to Orlando to explore everything the Walt Disney World and Universal Studios resorts have to offer before making their way north to the nation's capital. And as summer winds down Castle and Beckett look forward to celebrating their sixth anniversary together. Thirty-first in the Beware Of Darkness series. Caskett pairing. Complete.
1. Prologue- Got My Bag

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I wanted to say now that I in no way own the Walt Disney World resort, just to cover my bases I'm not making money off the mention, lol, though what doesn't exist at the resort already is my artistic license. And speaking of Disney, the Mickey ear hats and headbands are real and not my imagination.

A/N #2: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song _Sentimental Journey_ written by Bud Green, the version I've taken from is sung by Ringo Starr from his album with the same title as the song.

A/N #3: The title of this story is a lyric from the song _Sentimental Journey_ and the title of this chapter is a lyric from the same song with the same info in the a/n above.

Got My Bag

"Mom?" Julia asked.

"Yeah?" Beckett said with a smile, looking at her daughter.

"Think I can ask Skye something?" Julia then said.

"Of course you can," Beckett said in surprise. "You don't need to ask me." She looked at her in confusion and asked, "Why did you think you needed to."

Julia just smiled and shook her head before she hurried over to the investigator who was sitting, looking at their plane at the gate in front of them with Fleur on her lap. "Hi," she said with a smile.

"Hullo, what can I help you with Julia?" Skye asked with a smile.

"I was wondering if you knew a song," the girl said.

"Hmm… _Leaving on a Jet Plane_? Or… well, I can't think of any songs in Orlando that would apply here," Skye said with a slight laugh. "What song?"

" _Sentimental Journey_?" Julia asked slowly.

"I do know that one; we do," Skye replied. "You want us to sing it at the hotel tomorrow?"

Shaking her head Julia said, "Please sing it now?" speaking hopefully.

"You could," Mary said when her wife looked at her. She then glanced at Fleur and said in Italian, " _Per lei_."

Since her wife had said the words for her sake, Skye nodded and then said with a smile to Julia, "Mary's quite right. And yes, we can sing that but…" She stopped there, looking around the terminal before she said, "I just hope that the others here won't mind."

"They won't," Julia said eagerly.

Skye couldn't help laughing at how sure the little girl was and she nodded before saying, "We'll get started then."

"What are you going to sing Mummy?" Fleur asked shyly.

Kissing the girl's cheek Skye said, "You'll remember the song once you hear it _mon petite_." She looked over at her wife and nodded over to her before the music then began and she waited until her moment to start.

 _Gonna take a sentimental journey  
Gonna set my heart at ease  
Gonna take a sentimental journey  
To renew old memories_

 _I've got my bag and got my reservation  
Spent each dime I could afford  
Like a child in wild anticipation  
Long to hear that 'all aboard!'_

Beckett smiled when Fleur, Ivy and Iris giggled when their mother winked at them at the third line of the second verse, before she took Eliza onto her lap. She glanced around them seeing that the others were watching as Skye began again with Mary singing the chorus with her.

 _Seven  
That's the time we leave  
At seven  
I'll be waiting out for heaven  
Counting every mile of railroad track  
That takes me back_

 _Never thought my heart could be so yearning  
Why did I decide to roam?  
Got to take this sentimental journey  
Sentimental journey home_

At the instrumental there Skye said quickly, "Though we're going on holiday. Still applies Julia?"

"Yep," the girl said with a laugh before the investigator was beginning the chorus, that time singing on her own as Ringo had done in his version.

 _I said seven  
That's the time we leave  
At seven  
I'll be waiting out for heaven  
Counting every mile of railroad track  
That takes me back_

Castle wasn't too surprised when Mary joined her for the last verse, as Ringo had been joined in the recording of the song. He couldn't help wondering how the singer was doing but his attention was drawn back to the present when Beckett took his hand gently.

 _I never thought my heart could be so yearning  
Why did I decide to roam?  
Got to take this sentimental journey  
Sentimental journey home  
Sentimental journey home_

"Let's go now," Skye spoke quickly, glancing over at the counter where an employee for American Airlines was stepping up behind it before she and Mary started to sing again.

 _Sentimental journey home  
Sentimental journey home_

Skye and Mary trailed off a bit and smiled as more than just their group traveling were applauding and the former nodded her thanks to them before she then said, "Are you well satisfied?"

"Yeah, that was great," Julia said since she'd asked her. She was going to speak again when she heard an announcement that their plane was boarding. So she thanked the investigator and rushed over to her parents, waiting for them to say they could finally board the Boeing 777 before her father took her hand to speak to her and her sister.

"Should we have taken the train?" Castle said to the girls.

"Dad," Julia said, wrinkling her nose at him. "And we are gonna go on a train."

"Yeah, to go see Maddy," Eliza said.

"Girls, we're going to start walking," Beckett told them as people were getting in line to board.

"Is Josa really gonna be kay?" Eliza asked then.

"She will, come on," Beckett said, taking her hand and gently tugging her as her father was taking the baby in her carrier. After they were in line and were walking on the jetway she looked back at her husband and smiled when their middle daughter cheered and jumped a bit next to her. "I think she's excited."

"It looks like it," Castle said. "And Julia's squeezing my hand extra tight."

"Sorry," the girl said with a nervous laugh.

"It's okay, I expected you to do that. And you can see Mari once we're in the air," Castle told her.

"Yeah," Julia said quickly as they'd come to the door of the plane and she stopped looking back for her best friend as she was eager to see the inside when the pilot suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Wilson, you son of a…" Skye said jokingly.

"Hey, I thought I saw your name," the pilot said with a laugh before they were embracing tightly. "But I don't know a Rose McDouglas."

Skye socked him playfully before she said, "I'm off for holiday with my family and friends."

"Great to hear," Wilson replied, smiling at the people behind them.

"We need to start going in guys; I'll introduce you as you walk by," Skye called so everyone would hear her.

Beckett; since she and her family were right behind the McDouglases; heard her friend introducing Mary and the girls quickly. She wasn't surprised when the man studied Fleur, Ivy and Iris closely since all three of them had been on the news in some form. They passed, and she shook the pilot's hand before saying quickly, "Is it possible for you or an attendant to take a picture of the flight deck with my camera or is that illegal?"

"It's not," Skye said. "I'll handle the camera Wilson."

"Alright but don't let it get around I'm doing that," the man said.

Thanking him quickly; as they needed to continue so the other passengers could board; Beckett walked over to first class as the flight attendant had directed them once she'd seen their boarding passes. "Thanks Dad," she said, taking Josie's carrier.

"Excuse me ma'am, will you be requiring anything for the baby at take off?" a flight attendant asked.

"Oh no, I think we have everything we need. Thank you," Beckett said with a smile before she saw her daughters were coming over to them.

"Will she be okay?" Julia asked first.

"She will, she's sticking with me," Beckett reassured them. "Now go to your seats," she said with a smile.

"Can we say goodbye to her?" Eliza asked.

"Not goodbye since we'll be right here," Beckett said. "Just give her a kiss and come see us once the seatbelt sign is off." She watched the two kiss their sister on her forehead, smiling as they both told her to sleep during the take off. "I'll try to get her to do that," she promised them when they hugged her tightly. "Now listen to Alexis," she directed to Eliza. "And your grandpapa," she said to Julia.

"We will, don't miss Dad too much," the latter said.

"Julia," Beckett said though she couldn't help smiling at Julia's wry smile. She watched the two leave and glanced at her husband who'd joined them by then. "You heard that?"

"Of course," Castle said. That was all he said though as he reached down to their baby, taking her out of the carrier. Holding Josie against his shoulder he murmured, "You won't hear a thing but just think about the force as if your mom was running around with you in your sling."

"Rick," Beckett said, unable to help laughing before she felt Skye gently squeezing her arm from behind.

"I need your camera; they're going to need to start preparing soon," the investigator told her.

Beckett nodded and handed the camera to her before she watched her hurry up to the flight deck where the pilot and co-pilot were standing. She smiled as Skye spoke to both jovially before she felt someone else walking up to her and her husband. " _Are you jealous_?" she asked Mary in Irish.

" _She always flirts with her_ ," the woman muttered, meaning the female co-pilot.

"Skye _sure isn't so I think it's harmless_ ," Castle commented, watching the three ahead of them.

Walking back to her wife, Castle and Beckett once she had Beckett's camera back Skye took one look at her wife and said, " _She's dating someone_."

" _Still_ ," Mary said.

Beckett busied herself with the screen of her camera as the two women were speaking to each other in Italian and when they left them she called out a, "Thank you," to Skye. She glanced towards the flight deck and said, "Thank you so much; its' fantastic," to the pilot as the picture had come out really well.

"I better sit myself love," Castle said.

"Are you going to be alright with Marie?" Beckett asked.

"Sure, she'll have things to do," Castle replied, since all the kids had a present that would have activities for when they were on the flights they would be taking to and from home and the train ride from Orlando to DC. He pressed a kiss to Josie's temple and murmured, "Your mom will take great care of you sweetheart." He put the baby back in her carrier and then turned to his wife, brushing his lips to hers before he went to his seat.

Getting settled in her own and making sure the baby was alright, Beckett was startled when someone stopped next to her and she glanced up, smiling when she saw it was her cousin, looking at Josie for a moment before he turned his attention to her.

"I hate to ask this when I'm sure everyone has already," Brennan said with a smile. "But you'll be alright with her?"

"I will, we've researched this, and we know what to do," Beckett said with a nod, eventually speaking absently as Lily was hurrying up to them. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

"Sorry, do you have a spare pacifier? I've been looking though Sophie's bag and I don't see it," the woman told her.

Going to Josie's bag, Beckett quickly found one of the four new pacifiers she and Castle had packed for their daughter and handed it to her. "I'd advise finding some more," she said with a smile.

"I know, and we will," Lily said. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Beckett replied. She squeezed her cousin's hand as he excused himself to go sit with his daughter and then sat down again with the pacifier she intended to give to Josie. As she waited until the time when their plane would be pushed back, she focused her attention fully on the baby, smiling at her and slightly playing with her by moving her small stuffed bear around and letting her grab it. When the plane finally started to move, she looked over at her husband across the aisle from her and smiled at him saying, "She's asleep."

"She is?" Castle asked in surprise though he saw her carefully placing the headphones they had for the baby on Josie's head. When she nodded he smiled and then sat back as he looked over at Marie with him as she was looking out on the tarmac while they moved. He smiled, recalling the little girl wanted to be a pilot like her mother, and waited for them to stop at the end of the runway and begin their takeoff.

"Stay still Julia," Jim was telling his granddaughter as she was peering down the aisle every so often.

"Sorry, I'm just wondering what Josa's gonna do," the girl had time to say before the engines were powering up as they started down the runway. Julia waited for her littlest sister to start crying but as they were coming off the ground she was startled to only hear Fleur nearby whimpering next to Skye slightly. "She didn't cry," she told her grandfather in surprise.

"I think your mother's taking very good care of her," Jim said with a smile as he hadn't doubted his daughter would be doing her best with the baby.

"She's fine," Beckett said to her husband since he was trying to lean over and look at Josie because the carrier was next to the aisle.

"Did she wake up?" Castle asked.

Nodding Beckett said, "There's a reason why I was bent over her just now," knowing that he'd been watching her. She then turned her attention to Josie again, gently soothing her though the baby was staring at her with wide eyes as she sucked furiously on her pacifier. "Can you see Lily?" she asked her husband while she took off the headphones, not sure why she'd forgotten Sophie.

"She's holding her," Castle said. "I guess she was a little more unsettled." He waited for the seatbelt light to be turned off before he started to get up. He paused when he heard tearing behind him and said, "I guess it's time for the gifts," not surprised when his wife was quiet as they waited for any reactions from their elder daughters.

"Can I go say thank you to Mommy?" Eliza asked Alexis once she had opened her present.

"Go ahead but don't run," the young woman told her sister.

Trying her best to walk the whole way Eliza soon reached her mother and threw her arms around her saying, "Thank you! And you too Daddy! I love my books and the stickers too!"

"We thought you would," Castle said. "But remember you've got two more trips to go still so don't do them all right now."

"Are we gonna have lunch?" Eliza asked.

"In a little bit," Beckett answered, smiling as she watched the little girl moving in front of her to look at Josie. "She fell asleep again."

"So her ears don't hurt?" Julia asked, with them then. "Thanks for my stuff too," she said with a smile as her parents looked at her, waiting after for an answer to her question.

"I think they're fine because she has the pacifier," Beckett said, not saying anything else as she and Castle had explained it would be like chewing gum for the baby. "Now go back to your seats you two, lunch will be served really soon. Do you know what you want?"

"I'm gonna get the mac and cheese," Julia said.

"Me too, 'lexis said it comes with chicken," Eliza said eagerly.

"Then you better get going so you can eat it," Castle said. He then turned to his wife once their daughters were gone and asked her, "Do you want to switch?"

" _She'll want to nurse soon_ ," Beckett said in Irish as she shook her head. " _And I can eat with her while I wait_."

"Alright, but if you ever want me to sit with her just let me know," Castle said.

Beckett smiled at him, thanking him, before she turned her attention to the flight attendant coming up to them so they could order lunch. When she was alone she looked at Josie, gently running the backs of her fingers over the baby's cheek, waiting for lunch and hoping the rest of the flight would run as smoothly as it had so far. But watching her youngest before she glanced at her husband helping Marie with an activity book, she had a feeling it would since they all wanted to reach Orlando.

* * *

"Hey Mom," Julia said.

"Yes," Beckett said with a smile, watching her as her oldest had spoken still staring out the window.

"Can we know _now_ which hotel we're going to stay at?" Julia begged.

"You can see it right now," Castle said, looking back at her with a smile.

"Are we in Africa?" Mari asked eagerly, being the first of the children to see the building their special Magical Express bus was stopping in front of.

"The Animal Kingdom Lodge," David told his daughter.

Gasping Eve said to her parents, "Isn't this the one with the animals outside it?"

As the kids were gasping after the teen said that Skye stood up and said to the group, "There are animals," speaking to the children. "But we can't see them unless we go out and check in."

"And hopefully it'll be done very calmly; they keep the animals here so let's not run around or anything," Beckett added.

With that admonition, the parents were getting their kids out off the bus quickly; going into the lobby and leaving their suitcases which would be taken to their rooms by the cast members at the hotel. Inside the lobby they found they didn't need to be concerned about their children as their awe at the grandeur of the lobby, decorated in its African theme, was evident and seemed to freeze them in place. They took turns checking in, Martha, Jim and Alexis watching the kids before someone started to play the bongo drums on a bench to the right.

Grabbing her sister's hand and then Mari's, Julia took off with them before they reached the man wearing a red patterned tunic top and hat that she though made him look like he was in a marketplace in Africa. "Can we dance?" she asked, suddenly getting the urge at the rhythm. When he smiled and nodded she cried a thank you and suddenly started to dance, Eliza and Mari following her swiftly as the cast member continued to play until he stopped suddenly. She was panting but soon laughing as they applauded the man's performance.

"That was good," Eliza said with a smile.

"Thank you," the man replied, smiling back at her.

"Girls," Beckett said to them. "We can go see our rooms now."

"Mommy can we take a picture with him later?" Eliza asked.

"Just remind me next time we see him," Beckett answered, taking their hands.

"We're stretched out all around the hotel here," Brad was saying as Beckett and the girls rejoined their group. "I think we should rest a bit and then check things out."

"If the children will want to," Brennan commented.

"They will," Mary said in amusement. "But is an hour enough time?"

"It has to be, we don't have that much time left before our other plans," Rebecca said.

Before the kids could protest at how they were being so vague the adults started to usher them around to get to their rooms, Castle and Beckett going to the left of the lobby so they could reach the one that Alexis and Louis were going to stay in first.

"You don't want to stay with Erin?" Eliza asked the young man as she was walking with him.

"It's alright, she'll want to stay with our parents," Louis said. "And I get to stay with your sister," he added, smiling when the little girl beamed and nodded. His girlfriend was opening the door to the room then and he was about to joke that he wanted the top bunk bed when they were stepping inside, and he found that while he couldn't speak, she had no problem with doing so shortly after they'd taken everything in.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Alexis cried, rushing to her father and hugging him tightly.

Laughing Castle said, "You're very welcome. But I should tell you that door connects to the suite your sisters and grandparents are sharing."

"That's fine," Alexis said firmly, looking over at the door in the living room. She went inside the bedroom room that was close to the entrance and she smile seeing hers and Louis' suitcases were already there. "It's perfect."

"Sorry," Louis said as her girlfriend glanced at her then. "I'm… stunned at all of this."

"You guys needed a room," Castle said. "But again, hopefully you won't mind being close to the kids."

"Why would we?" Alexis replied, smiling at her sisters as they were standing back by the door. "You guys don't want to see your view?" she asked them.

"In our room," the two said at the same time.

"Then go ahead over to yours," Alexis said. "Are we really going to take an hour?" she directed quickly to her father.

"Probably," Castle said, looking rapidly over at the window.

"Sure, open the door once you're inside," Alexis told them.

"We will," Jim said first. He left the room, since he had one of the two keys, and waited for Julia and Eliza to join him before opening the door of the room next to Alexis' and Louis'.

Rushing through the room the two girls went straight to the sliding door, Julia opening it before they nearly jumped out on the balcony to see the animals they knew would be outside.

"Well… I hope they like the beds at least," Castle said as he, Beckett and their parents were watching the two.

"They'll be fine," Martha said, going to the door and opening it to Alexis on the other side.

"How many beds are here?" the young woman asked, stepping inside.

"Two queens," Castle said. He then recalled something and went into the bedroom saying, "Great, they did put the crib."

"Josie's staying with us tonight?" Martha asked.

"No, with us," Beckett said. "Rick asked them to put one in here just in case we'd like her to go with you."

"Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said, coming back into the room. "Look at the aminals!"

"Hold on," Beckett replied, intending to go over to the bedroom to start unpacking the girls' things. Before she could slip inside though her mother in law was stopping her with a gentle touch on her shoulder.

"We can help them unpack," Martha said. "Actually, we can just unpack for them," she added in amusement as they glanced back over to the balcony to see the girls hadn't moved at all.

"There isn't too much," Beckett said, a little unsure about that. "And Julia can help, just don't let them stay for too long."

"We'll try," Jim said. "Go ahead Katie," he told her. "But would you mind them going over to your room?"

"We were going to tell you," Castle said with a smile. "Send them over whenever you'd like, we'll take them in."

"Bye girls," Beckett called.

Castle couldn't help laughing at the fact the girls didn't acknowledge that and he turned to his wife asking, "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's get started unpacking," Beckett said. They both looked at their oldest daughters and she was laughing briefly when they still didn't move. She took her husband's hand and they said goodbye to their parents and Alexis before going down the hall to their room three doors down. She waited for him to open 2315 and she wasn't surprised when he stepped aside for her to go first which she did as she couldn't help being eager to see their own view of the savannah outside the hotel.

"Will I need to unpack for you too?" Castle asked jokingly.

"No," Beckett said, looking back at him as he was standing in the doorway of the sliding door. "Bring Josie."

"Yeah," Castle said, turning back to set the carrier on the table by the door. He took the baby out and then carried her back outside to stand next to her mother. "Wow… now I see why you wanted to come here."

Beckett smiled at him before she looked at Josie and gently pressed her lips to the baby's forehead before saying, "I told you the view would be amazing," as she looked back out to the zebras and giraffes.

"I'd heard about this hotel," Castle replied after a moment. "But I was not expecting this."

Smiling again, Beckett leaned against him and then shared a kiss with him before they parted. She was about to tell him they would need to head inside to unpack when they both turned to look at the door at the knock on it. "I guess they managed to get the girls off their balcony," she said in surprise as she hurried to go open it.

"I'll have to ask them how they did that," Castle said, following her but much more slowly. He watched her look through the peephole and then open the door to find their two oldest on the other side of it before they were rushing in, talking with excitement at the same time to them both.

"Easy you two," Beckett said as she was closing the door. "We know you're very excited, but we need you guys to do something really important for us right now."

"What?" Julia asked interestedly.

"Can you keep Josie company while we unpack?" Castle replied to that, handing the baby to Julia.

"Yeah," Eliza said with a gasp. "Did you show Josa the aminals?"

"Aaaa," Josie suddenly said, turning her head on her sister's shoulder.

"I think that means yes," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But she can't see them, though we did let her see outside."

"Go out to the balcony in our room," Castle said. "But don't put her on the railing and-"

"Don't try to call the giraffes over," Beckett finished for him, smiling at him.

"We won't, Lizzy tried to do that already in our room," Julia said teasingly.

"Jules did too," Eliza said with a smirk. She then frowned and said, "After I did."

"Okay, just be careful," Beckett said, doing her best not to laugh as her husband was doing. "Though we'll be here in the room."

When the girls nodded they went into the bedroom, Castle and Beckett getting their first look at their bed for their stay at Disney World. They smiled at each other, not minding the décor of the headboard at all though it wasn't exactly their tastes; for the lodge they felt it worked perfectly. They checked out the crib they'd use when Josie was with them and then turned their attention to the balcony where Eliza had opened the sliding door and they stepped into the doorway to listen to their oldest daughters talking to the baby eagerly.

"Those are giraffes and they have to eat the leaves on the trees," Eliza was saying, kissing the baby's cheek. "And they have super tall necks and they're taller than Mommy and Daddy!"

"And the zebras are like horses," Julia took up next. "But they're wild so you can't ride them but they're so pretty."

"Come on," Castle said, touching his wife's back before he went inside the room. He and Beckett unpacked their things and Josie's as fast as they could but at one point he looked at her suitcase and asked, " _Aon rud speisialta_?"

Glancing at him, as he'd asked anything special, Beckett said simply, " _Is é sin duit a fháil amach_ ," which meant that was for him to find out.

" _Bandia_ ," Castle said, breathing out the word goddess to her.

Beckett smiled before she used his glancing behind him at the girls to hide the one thing she'd brought to wear when they were intimate. Since it was just one item it was taken care of quickly and she said when he looked at her, "Are you finished."

"Yes," Castle said simply before he looked at their daughters again. "Josie's things?"

"They're ready," Beckett said before she looked at the girls as Julia came back inside first. "Is she asleep?" she asked.

"Yeah," the girl said softly.

Taking the baby, Beckett pressed her lips to Josie's forehead before she let Castle do the same and she then set her in the crib before he was setting up the camera to watch her. She picked Eliza up before going into the living room and once the door was closed she was about to tell the girls their announcement about the rest of the day when there was a knock on the door.

"The others?" Beckett asked her husband as he went over to the door.

"It is," Castle said after he'd looked through the peephole. He opened the door and said with a smile, "Are we taking too long?"

"No," Alexis said. "We just wanted to see your room."

"Okay," Castle said, knowing what she really meant. "Come on inside and sit so we can talk about what we're going to do."

"Is Josie asleep?" Jim asked, seeing that the bedroom door was closed.

"She is, that might change our plans," Beckett said, directing the last to her husband.

"Which are?" Alexis prompted.

"We're going to one of the pools here at this hotel," Castle said, not surprised when there was a gasp and squeal from Julia and Eliza respectively.

"I can stay with Josie until she wakes up," Martha said. When her son and daughter in law looked at her she smiled and told them, "I'll get my Florida sun after; I'm assuming we're staying until dinner?"

"Dinner will be at five," Castle said. "And it's here as well, _Boma_ which is a buffet. Oh, and if you like that name girls," he said to Julia and Eliza who soon nodded rapidly. "The pool we're going to is called the Uzima pool. And guess what? It has a slide."

Laughing with her sister at their father's exaggerated tone Julia said, "Are we both going to be able to go on it?"

"We're not sure," Beckett said when her husband looked at her. "If you are allowed Eliza you might have to wear a vest… For that matter, you too Julia."

"Okay." "Kay," the girls said, shrugging their shoulders.

"So we're doing that for now and then dinner," Castle said. "But afterwards we're going to go to Disney Springs."

"Isn't that kind of far?" Alexis asked in surprise.

"How did you know?" Castle asked in surprise. "And where's your other half?"

Shaking her head and smiling, Alexis told him, "He went to join his family and I'm guessing he's hearing about this too. How're we going?"

"The new monorail track," Beckett said. "If they hadn't put that in we would be going another day and staying here."

"What's there?" Julia asked.

"Shops, we're going to buy our Mickey hats a little early," Castle replied.

"Ears?" Eliza said. When her parents nodded she squealed as quietly as she could before she then said, "Are you and Mommy gonna get them?"

"Yes," Beckett replied, seeing Julia looking at her too. "And not just the ears but hats; he wants your grandparents to get them too."

"I don't mind," Jim said.

"I don't either," Martha added when their grandchildren looked at them. "They have other hats, right?"

"They have some nice ears ones Gram," Julia told her.

"Let me see the selection," Martha replied with a smile.

"Me too," Jim said. "And that's it for today?"

"It is, so we need to get changed that way we can get going," Castle said before he saw the others were smiling at each other. "Are you all changed?"

"As soon as you left I had them do that; they're wearing their bathing suits under their clothes right now," Martha said.

"Good to know, Alexis?" Castle asked his daughter.

"I'm ready," she said quickly.

"We'll be right out," Beckett said with a smile before she took her husband's hand and they walked into the bedroom.

"Is she good?" Castle asked as he watched her check on Josie.

"You can see," Beckett replied with a smile. They went over to the closet to get their swimsuits and she said to him, "Your mother better have fun on this trip too. I didn't want her to have to continuously babysit."

"She will," Castle said reassuringly. "She'll love the kids' rides with the girls; probably Josie too since those really tame ones she can go on. And I know it's corny but we're all together and she does love that too."

"True," Beckett replied. "I just wonder about what she could be doing in the city right now…"

"Ask her if she minds right now," Castle said as they began to quickly change.

"I trust you know her," Beckett assured him. When she had her bikini on she then pulled on a sundress and said while she put up her hair, "Don't."

"I want to though," Castle said.

"We'll do that later," Beckett said as she'd seen her husband; dressed again; about to walk over to her knowing he'd been intending to kiss her.

"Promise?" Castle asked. When his wife merely smiled at him he groaned in desire under his breath but quickly shook himself to go back out to their family, carrying the bag she had for the pool and the water parks they'd be visiting.

"Leave the door open," Martha said before she became startled at her daughter in law walking over to her.

"The service at this hotel will be really good; if there's anything you need just call on the phone that's out here," Beckett told her seriously.

"Ah, Jim said you were concerned for our sakes," Martha said, smiling. "And don't worry, I'm happy to be here and happy to get the chance to care for Josie. Remember I don't get the chance to see her as much as Jim."

"If it's what you want," Beckett said, feeling a little more reassured.

"It is," Martha said with a smile. "Now what I don't want is worrying about you worrying about me."

"I'll be alright; you will be with us tomorrow and you have the Monorail now to get back here for naps," Beckett said with a nod.

"Kate we're ready," Castle told his wife as he'd been getting some towels for them to use.

"And I'll help her Katie," Jim told his daughter.

"Come out to the pool as soon as you can," Beckett said. "She'll probably need to be nursed."

"Of course," Castle's mother replied. She then smiled and said, "We'll see you out at the water."

Nodding her head, Beckett turned her attention to Castle, the girls and her father, taking the girls' hands before they were going out the door and making their way to the Uzima pool.

* * *

"Should we get some drinks now love?" Castle asked his wife. "Or wait?"

"Wait!" Eliza said in mock annoyance. She pretended to pout and stomped her foot before she giggled and said, "You wanna go on the slide too Daddy."

"I know," Castle said before he picked her up.

"Are you guys going to go on that now?" Skye asked as she and her family were sitting close to the Castles.

"We are," Beckett said. "I need to because I'm sure Josie will be back soon."

"Then let's go," Skye said.

"Eve, Jake," Castle called to the two that were in the pool. "Come on we're going to the slide."

"You don't want to go?" Beckett asked in surprise when the siblings were looking at each other.

"We want to go with our parents," Jacob said first.

"I'll watch them," Jim said to his daughter.

"Alright, have fun," Beckett called to them. She then went with Julia and Mari over to the slide and saw that there were vests and a cast member who was talking to Brennan and Clara.

"Anyone here under eight needs to wear a vest," the former told his cousin as they walked back to them. "And if those above eight can't swim you can't go on."

"Make sense," Castle said. "Mind if Kate goes first; we're waiting for Josie to come back."

"Go ahead," Brennan replied.

Hearing the other parents saying the same thing, Beckett smiled at them in thanks before she turned to Eliza, helping her with her vest. Once she was ready she took her hand and they went to the top of the slide. "I'm going to go first sweetie; your daddy will let you know when you can start down after me."

"Kay," Eliza said, trying to contain her excitement.

Beckett couldn't help hugging her before kissing her daughter's cheek and sitting down at the top of the slide. She pushed herself down and could faintly hear her daughters cheering her on until she was in the water. Breaking the surface, she waved at her husband and waited for Eliza to join her which she soon was, crying out the entire time to her amusement.

"I did it Mommy!" the little girl cried out in joy once she was in her mother's arms.

"I saw that sweetie," Beckett said, holding her on her hip. She kissed her temple and said, "You had fun?"

"Yeah! I wanna go again," Eliza said.

"In a little bit; your sister's going now," Beckett told her. They then turned back to the slide and saw Julia coming down until she splashed into the pool. "It's fun isn't it," she said with a laugh as the girl popped out of the water shortly after.

"Woo-hoo!" Julia cried, jumping up and down. She went to her mother and said, "That was so cool, we can go on it again right?"

"Yes, but an adult needs to be there with you," Beckett said firmly.

"That's okay," Julia said quickly. She smiled and then hugged her mother quickly before she said, "This is so fun."

"It is," Beckett said, only able to say that as her husband was coming down then. She wasn't surprised when he stayed under the water, swimming over to them and lightly pinching her ankle. "They want to keep going," she told him once he was standing.

"So do I," Castle replied. He smiled at the girls and took Eliza saying, "Are you going to come with?"

"I'll stay here," Beckett said as Rebecca was coming down the slide. When her family was going back up to the top of the slide she said to the woman, "Having fun?"

"A lot, we should have come here so long ago," Rebecca replied.

"I know, but at least we're here now," Beckett said. She thought of something and said, "Are you getting a hat?"

"Definitely, you?" Rebecca asked.

With a smile; as nearly everyone had asked her that once they'd met up together again; Beckett nodded, and she was about to tell her friend what she might like to get when she suddenly heard her name being called. She turned to find it was her father and she quickly got out, rushing to where she saw her mother in law was standing with Josie before she began to speak.

"She's fussing," Martha told her. "And I checked her diaper so I'm sure she'll want to nurse."

"Most likely," Beckett said. "Were you bored at all?" she asked as she was hurriedly drying herself off.

"No, I took a nap myself," Martha replied. "The couch in your room is comfortable."

"Good to know," Beckett said with a smile before she sat down and took Josie just as the baby was starting to cry. She waited for her mother in law to cover her with the thin blanket she needed and started to nurse the baby. Once she was sure her youngest was settled she looked up to find her husband was walking up to them.

"How is she?" Castle asked her as he grabbed his towel and started to dry himself.

"She's fine, what about the girls?" Beckett asked, looking past him.

"They're with their grandfather," Castle explained. "And sister," he said as he looked over at them as well and saw his daughter was swimming with them. When he turned back around to face his wife he smiled and said, "Hey, Sophie's awake too?"

"She is," Brad said, carrying his and Lily's daughter in her carrier.

"Luckily she let us join everyone out here," Lily said herself.

"Where are Eve and Jake? I heard about the slide," Brad commented.

"In the water," Martha answered before her son or daughter in law could say anything. "Leave Sophie with me, I'll watch her and Josie."

"Thank you," Lily said after a moment's hesitation before she decided the woman was serious.

"You're a thoughtful grandmother," Castle told her when the couple had left them.

Waving her hand Martha said, "I enjoy being with my granddaughter and I've always loved babies. And children of course."

"Good thing," Beckett said. "Since there are a lot." She had been about to ask her mother in law if she would go on any rides besides the lower thrill rides when Josie pulled away from her breast.

Taking the blanket Castle held it in front of her while he was watching her switch the baby. Instead of setting it back on her he stood where he was, smiling when she glanced up at him for not moving. " _It's not for the view_ ," he told her in Irish.

"Pervert," Beckett said softly, smiling at him at the same time. She looked at Josie and seeing she was fine she said, "We'll get the drinks after this."

"Awesome, so Mother will look after her too?" Castle asked.

"No," Beckett said, smiling at him. "I'll put her in the sling."

"Her…" Castle started to say before he looked more closely at the baby. "I thought she was wearing a onesie," he said laughingly to his wife as his mother had changed the baby into her bathing suit.

"I thought you'd like to take her in the pool a little," Martha said, watching as Rebecca and David came out of the pool to them.

"We're going to the wading pool with her," David explained to her.

"Why not do that first?" Beckett asked as Dani was trying to climb onto her mother's leg.

"Someone was too eager for the big pool," Rebecca said, picking up the toddler. She kissed her cheek before saying, "But now she wants to see her special pool."

"Babies too," Dani said to her mother.

"Maybe another time honey," Rebecca said. "Mari's with your girls."

"And everyone else but we won't be too long," David added.

"We're getting drinks after," Castle said before he noticed his mother was next to him. Watching her place a towel over Beckett's shoulder he said, "Thanks."

"Yes, thank you," Beckett said as at that moment Josie was finishing. She set her to her shoulder and started to burp her carefully as she fixed her bikini top before her husband dropped the blanket and sat on the edge of the chez lounge, watching her.

" _Ba mhaith liom go mbeifeá in ann póg a thabhairt duit anois_ ," Castle murmured to her though he was speaking in Irish.

With a smile on her face; as her husband had said he wished he could kiss her right now; Beckett said, " _Déanfaimid níos déanaí. Geallaim_."

"You're sure?" Castle asked as she'd said they would later and had added that she promised.

"Are you really going to doubt me on that?" Beckett replied.

"I guess I won't," Castle replied simply.

Beckett laughed and then turned her attention to the baby until she could tell that Josie had finished. She let her husband take her and grabbed her sarong to tie around her waist once she stood. As she went over to Josie's bag she said, "Someone should tell everyone else about the meal plans."

"They know," Castle said. "I explained it to everyone because I told them your suggestion that we should eat dinners together at least."

"Are we?" Martha asked.

"We are," Castle said with a smile. "They like the idea so we're going to be going to the same parks each day."

"When are you letting the kids know?" Martha said, watching her son placing Josie into the sling that Beckett had put on.

"At dinner," Castle replied absently as he was checking to make sure the baby was alright. "Okay, so Mother would you like a drink?"

"Of course, but something refreshing," Martha commented.

"That means non-alcoholic," Castle explained to his wife.

"They have smoothies; we were going to share with the girls," Beckett said. "Raspberry and piña colada mix or strawberry and yogurt."

"The first please," Martha said before she watched the two go to the pool with a smile as her son was looking down at Josie though she could tell his eyes weren't leaving his wife for very long.

"Girls," Beckett called as they walked into the pool at the zero-depth entry while the two were walking over with Mari, Alexis and Jim. "Actually everyone," she added with a smile. "We're going to get drinks at the pool bar."

"Really?" Eliza asked once they were close enough.

"Really, we're going to get some smoothies," Castle said.

"Can we go with you?" Julia asked eagerly.

"Yeah, go get your sandals though," Becket told them. "You too Alexis, Mari."

"I'll join Martha to wait," Jim said.

As her father was looking down at Josie in the sling; trying not to get her wet; Beckett was able to ask him what he wanted before the four girls were with them. When she looked at the pool she saw her husband was returning and everyone else in their group was coming out of the water.

"Parents are all going to get drinks too," Castle said before he paused as he felt Eliza hugging his leg. "It's okay," he said since the little girl was touching his brace around his knee. He picked her up and said, "We have to tell you about our choices anyways, you and I are going to share a smoothie."

Beckett smiled as Eliza listened seriously to him and then saw David and Rebecca were with Dani at the pool bar. They took a bit to get their drinks; since there were so many of them though the families were all sharing like she and Castle were; but finally they were back at their lounge chairs and drinking as well as talking. When the smoothies in the cups started to go down she wasn't surprised to hear the other kids starting to ask their parents about swimming again, Skye the first to answer that.

"We have about an hour left," the investigator said. "But I'd like our girls to take showers before we get ready for the night."

"And us too," Mary added.

"So we need to leave?" Erin asked in disappointment.

"Fifteen minutes?" Brad suggested.

"Maybe ten," Beckett said.

"Are you gonna swim Mom?" Julia asked after the other adults had agreed to that time and they were starting to get up.

"Of course," Beckett said. "Alexis, help me?" She wasn't surprised when her stepdaughter looked at her in surprise and she smiled saying, "I want your dad to take the girls into the water now; so they won't need to wait."

"Sure," the young woman replied, waving to Louis who was going over with his family to the entry to walk right into the water.

"You're okay with the adjoining rooms, right?" Beckett asked softly once they were alone; Sophie with her parents going to the pool as well.

"Of course," Alexis said. She then paused in taking Josie out of the sling and asked, "Why do you worry about our… intimacy."

With a smile Beckett said, "I'm sorry about that but I was your age… actually that doesn't work. Basically, I do like Louis as your boyfriend and wouldn't want you to have to stay with your sisters when you guys can bunk together."

Alexis couldn't help laughing heavily and had to control herself though Josie; fully in her arms then; seemed to be alright as she was making an e sound and then cooing. "We're not in Frontierland yet," she told her stepmother.

"Close enough," Beckett said, holding her arms out for the baby.

Kissing her littlest sister's forehead, Alexis handed her over before she said, "Don't worry, I thought maybe you were serious about red headed grandchildren-"

"Oh no, I was," Beckett said firmly. "But not yet. You two have a good amount of time for kids yet. I just want to make sure you're both happy."

"And that's why I appreciate it; we appreciate it," Alexis said.

Smiling Beckett said, "Speaking of Louis…" She watched her stepdaughter go over the water to her boyfriend before she followed her going to where Castle was with the girls, spinning them around so their feet skimmed the top of the water. "You're going to make them dizzy," she called with a smile, not surprised when Eliza hurried to her.

"Does Josa get to come swimming?" the little girl asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I also want to ask if you two want to go to the spa," Beckett replied.

"Ooh, say yes Jules," Eliza told her big sister. "The f'amingoes are there and we can see all the aminals too."

"Yeah, but how long can we swim here?" Julia said, looking at their mother.

"What about five minutes here, five in the spa pool and then we'll go to the outlook and flamingoes until we leave?" Beckett suggested. When the girls squealed out yeses she smiled at her husband as they ran to tell everyone their plans and wasn't surprised when most of their group were heading back to the slide. Once she'd given Josie to Jim she was following, holding Castle's hand tightly until they needed to swim so they could join their family and friends the rest of their time at the stunning pool.


	2. Got My Bag (Part 2)

"Rick?" Beckett asked in surprise as she stepped out from the bathroom. "Why are you just in your boxers?" she asked, unable to help smiling at the sight of him standing at the crib with his hand down in it.

"Oh, I had to change my brace," Castle replied.

Beckett picked up the wet one on top of his towel and said, "I'll wash this and hang it so it dries."

"You don't need to," Castle said, looking up from his phone which he was also on to look over at her.

"It's fine, you just need to get off your phone and get dressed," Beckett called as she was going over to the bathroom. "By the way," she called to him. "Why are you on your phone?"

"I got an alert from the Pottermore Facebook page for some reason," Castle replied, loud enough for her to hear. He looked down at Josie and said, "I'll be right here sweetheart." He then went over to the bed and pulled on his clothes quickly before he then told his wife, "It said the sorting hat was jinxed by You-Know-Who."

"What does that mean?" Beckett asked, squeezing out the brace though it took some effort. When she was finished she hung it on the side of the tub and went out to him saying, "Does that mean we need to do the sorting again?"

"Yeah," Castle told his wife as he pulled on his plaid shirt last.

"Oh no," Beckett said with a sigh, going over to the crib. "Julia's not going to be happy about that."

"I know," Castle said, knowing neither of them wanted to say their daughter might end up in another house. "But she's going to need to," he said.

"I just hope she'll understand," Beckett said, picking Josie up. "Ready?" she asked him with a smile.

"Yeah," Castle replied as he'd quickly brushed his hair. As he followed her into the living room he said, "Didn't you say that they both needed new robes anyways?"

"I did," Beckett replied.

"Plus, the rest of us need robes," Castle commented. When his wife nodded at him he said with a smile, "And you should know now that the girls have asked your dad and my mom to get robes too."

Pausing while she was picking up Josie's bag, Beckett said, "Did they say they would?"

"They did, why?" Castle asked.

"You can't figure out why your mom said yes?" Beckett said.

"Not really, no," Castle replied. "What about your dad?"

"Because the girls asked him to," Beckett said simply. "And that's likely why your mom is too. Okay, we need to go."

"Yeah," Castle said, taking Josie in her carrier off the table and going to the stroller to attach it there. Once he was ready they stepped out into the hallway and walked down to where the rest of their family was, seeing Alexis and Louis stepping out of their room.

"I tried to see if I needed to help Gram, but she said she was fine," the former said to her dad and stepmother once they were all together.

"We are," Jim said as he was coming out of the room with Martha and the girls.

"Hi!" Eliza said eagerly though she was looking at Josie and waving to her. She crossed her eyes and giggled when her little sister smiled and then gurgled a bit.

"We better get going or else everyone's going to get the food before we will," Castle said to them.

"Can I push the stroller?" Julia asked as they began to walk.

"Sure," Castle said, stepping aside for her before they were heading into the lobby. He had to ask a cast member the right way to the restaurant once they were there, but they soon found it and found everyone was there.

"We're not late, are we?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"No, we all just got here," Skye said first. "It's in Rick's name?"

"It is but you all have to show your dining plan cards," Beckett replied. While Mary was doing that for hers and Skye's family she then asked, "How's your dad?"

"Good, he's having a great time on Madagascar," the investigator said with a smile. "But he's anxious still to meet the girls."

"Have you told them about him?" Beckett asked as they were walking into the restaurant. She wasn't surprised when Skye didn't answer that as they were taking in the room where they were which had a thatched room and in one section rugs above the tables. She felt the investigator touch her arm and she said, "They did an amazing job."

"Yeah," Skye said with a smile. " _But to answer your question quickly, I told them my story though I didn't quite explain the crash_ ," she said in Russian. " _I don't want them afraid of planes since they did well on the flight down here. But they know_ Liam _is their adopted grandda_."

" _They'll call him that_?" Beckett asked.

" _Of course, the girls do already_ ," Skye answered with a smile before she went over to where her family was gathered together.

"We can go ahead and eat," Castle said to his wife once she was with him and their family. "I ordered the Coconut Elixir for you like you wanted."

"Thank you," Beckett said with a smile. "But Josie?" she asked.

"If you'll do me a huge favor…" Castle said.

Since Julia and Eliza were going with Alexis and Martha respectively, Beckett nodded and then followed her husband over to the food while he was carrying Josie in her carrier. She grabbed plates for them both and they started to walk down the salads first before she stopped at one.

"Grab that for me too love," Castle told his wife when he saw she was picking out the watermelon rind salad. "Thank you," he said. "Are we getting a bunch of salad?" he then asked her.

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "I'm going to head over to the entrees." When he nodded she led the way to them and wasn't surprised when he quickly made her stop at what she saw was chakalaka. "It says spicy," she told him, reading the description that said it was spicy stewed tomatoes and onions.

"Just a little. Wait, can you take her for a second?" Castle asked. "This is ridiculous, you're not my servant," he told her.

"I don't feel like I am," Beckett said.

"We'll take turns," Castle said firmly. He then got some white cornmeal; that was called pap; and then spooned a little of the chakalaka on it before he looked at his wife. When she nodded he did the same for her plate and got some grilled asparagus for them both as well as some grilled tomatoes. "Keep going?" he asked.

"Yes, you're sure they've got food for kids?" Beckett said as they started to walk and she checked on Josie.

"Of course, I wouldn't have brought them if everything was spicy," Castle replied easily. "Oh, look at this."

"Go ahead," Beckett told him, knowing he was about to ask her if she wanted the ribs. "Get the Fufu too and we need to find the girls, they'll want this too."

"Here they come," Castle said. "Hey, you'll like this you two," he told the girls. "It's two kinds of mashed sweet potato."

"Fufu! I like the name," Eliza said, watching her grandmother spoon that onto her plate.

"Katie, let me take Josie," Jim said.

"You finished?" Beckett asked though she could see that his plate was full.

"I did, I can take her," Jim assured her. He took the carrier and started to walk back to their table when a cast member came over to him.

"Would you like some help sir?" the woman asked.

"Yes actually, I thought I could carry my plate as well," Jim said with a smile. He gave her the carrier and they walked together over to the table and he set his plate down. "Thank you so much," he told the woman, seeing on her name tag she was from Ghana.

"You are very welcome," she said with a smile. "She is your granddaughter?" At Jim's nod she said, "She is very cute."

"She is, thank you," Jim replied before he was alone. He sat down but didn't start to eat, looking at Josie who was staring back at him with wide eyes. "I think everyone loves you Josie, you're so sweet."

"Hey, hey, don't forget Sophie," Brad said jokingly as he and Lily were coming back with their daughter.

"I didn't," Jim assured them. "What do you think of the selection?"

"It's amazing," Lily said. "Though the kids all mostly got American food."

"Better they did," Castle said as he and Beckett were coming over with the rest of their family. "But they did get some stuff here and there."

"Mostly sweet," David said jokingly.

"Did you guys get the geel rys?" Brennan asked.

"I did," Mary said.

"Wait, before we start to eat," Castle said when they were all sitting around the table. "A toast to the vacation finally starting and all of us here," he said rapidly before they started to tap their glasses together with whoever they could reach. "Now eat, this stuff looks delicious."

"You're just starving," Clara said.

"I think the kids are too," Rebecca said in amusement as Dani next to her was eating her serving of Fufu directly out of her hand.

With some laughter, the adults started to talk about their food they'd chosen and recommending to those that didn't have it before they were getting second plates. With people going at different times there was one point where Castle and Beckett were alone with Josie, staying so their parents and Alexis could go with the girls to get their fruit plates before dessert.

"Hard to believe the day's not over," Beckett said with a smile as she was cradling the baby in her arms.

"I know, I have to announce the houses stuff, don't I?" Castle asked her as he playfully tickled Josie's neck before she smiled at him.

"You probably should, and the plan for the next two days too," Beckett said.

"Yeah," Castle said. "Oh, you're right," he said. He glanced around and was about to move when his wife squeezed his arm tightly with her hand. "No?" he asked.

" _Not the right time love, but I did promise you later_ ," Beckett told him gently in Irish before she cupped his cheek.

"Why don't you kiss," Julia said, coming up to her parents then. She smiled when they looked at her; obviously startled; and she told them, "Gram said to get us one plate."

"Thank you," Beckett said, looking at her mother in law.

"Do we have to eat the fruit?" Eliza asked as she sat on her mother's lap and Julia sat in between their parents.

"Yes, or else you don't get any dessert," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when the girls quickly started to eat with them until their plate was clear and he went with them to get their desserts, getting two plates before they headed back to the table. When he saw everyone was eating he decided that was a good enough time and told the others, "Hey, you don't need to stop eating but I have to announce something. I got a notice from the Pottermore website that 'the sorting hat was jinxed by You-Know-Who.' So we're all going to need to re-sort ourselves."

Gasping Julia said, "But I'm a Ravenclaw!"

"I'm sure if you answer the questions like you did before you'll be back in that house," Castle said.

"He's right, but that's not the only thing," Beckett said.

"Right," Skye said. "Tomorrow and Sunday as well we're going to the Magic Kingdom park. We're doing it families separate first?" When Castle and Beckett nodded she smiled and said, "And then Sunday we're all together."

The kids immediately started to talk eagerly and they somehow managed to finish their desserts though they were eager to eat their choices of zebra domes or guava panna cotta among other choices. When they were heading together out of the place they went as a group to where they could get the walkway to the Monorail station, talking about the possible rides as no one had done research on the parks in detail yet. They then spoke to each other in groups about what ears they would pick to wear while exploring the Disney resort and which ones would be the best before they were on their way to Disney Springs.

* * *

"Do you think I'm cheating Lils?" Brad asked his wife.

"Cheating?" Lily said in surprise, standing up straight after she had set Sophie into the crib in their room. It was later that night and they were about to go to bed; their two oldest asleep on the sleeper sofa outside in the living room; since they could take advantage of the Extra Magic Hour and go into the parks at seven. "The extra hour we get?" she then said.

"My hat," Brad explained, showing her the black Haunted Mansion themed fedora with a band of purple patterned fabric around it and three ghost faces in pewter.

"Eve and Jake were fine with it," Lily said with a smile. "And you've always loved those kinds of hats."

"I do," Brad said. "Plus, I wasn't the only one to get a non-Mickey ears hat."

"Take it off Brad," Lily said as she watched him starting to put it on his head. "We're all going to be up very early, and we need the sleep."

Nodding, Brad took it off and went over to the crib to peer down at Sophie saying, "They'll be okay watching her once in a while, right?"

"Of course, Eve is thirteen now remember and very serious," Lily replied, squeezing his arm. "Also, Jake wants to protect his sister. Sisters I should say."

Since she was right Brad said, "I just want to go on a couple rides with you."

"And we can," Lily said firmly. "Now come on, leave her to sleep so we can get some."

Brad nodded and then said, "You like your hat?"

Lily, since they were climbing into bed, didn't find that the question was a distraction so she said, "I do, Evie's gotten good at fashion. I took a little longer."

"You do a great job," Brad said reassuringly, kissing her shoulder through her pajama top as they were laying down.

With a nod Lily glanced over at the desk next to the TV in their room where her hat was next to his. It was a Mickey ears hat and the ears were red and white polka dot while the hat itself was covered in black lace with a short veil over it. There were three white roses with three different buttons in black and white polka dot, red and a red flower shaped on them. She hadn't been sure of it, but their oldest daughter had insisted that it was perfect, so she'd tried it on and had seen she'd been right. "Oh, tomorrow," she then said, thinking of the hats. "Do not bother her or tease her about her hat."

"I won't… you don't think it's kind of grown up though?" Brad asked as their daughter's Mickey ears hat had a Mickey on it but roses and a heart and text that made it look like a tattoo pattern.

"No, she's not going to get a tattoo and she knows that," Lily said firmly. "She just likes that it's not a princess hat."

"True," Brad said slowly. "Okay," he said when his wife lightly nudged him in the side. "You know, I nearly got the hat that Jake did," he then told her, watching her to see her reaction.

"Oh, I know," Lily said with a smile since their son had gotten a BB8 Mickey ears hat that even had a couple of antennae. She had seen the look on her husband's face when he had seen the hat but was relieved when he'd spotted the one he'd gotten instead. "But thank you for leaving it to him."

Brad nodded and said, "I can just imagine how much ribbing I'd get from the other dads… actually they did that a little at the shaving store."

Lily laughed and said, "You got the better hat for a grown man. And Sophie will look very cute in her hat." They'd gotten the infant Mickey ears hat, not getting anything special since she would only be able to wear it for a short while. She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded in agreement and she was about to tell him goodnight when she glanced over at the door and saw it was closed. "Brad."

"What?" he asked, startled as he'd been about to kiss her.

"The door," Lily replied swiftly.

Though he didn't want to as he was already very comfortable, Brad slid out from under the sheet and opened the door. He paused for a moment to check on their two oldest before he went back to the bed quickly. "They're fine," he murmured to his wife.

"I thought so," Lily replied with a smile. She then gave him a quick kiss before he held onto her and kissed her harder. She kissed him back but didn't let him linger for too long before murmuring, "Love you Brad, night."

"Love you too Lils, goodnight," Brad said. And with that they laid down together fully, pressing close to one another as they got some rest for their eventful next day.

* * *

"Clara," Brennan said to his wife. "Should I have the hats out with Erin's?"

"I think so," she said as she came into their room from the balcony. "Just don't wake her up; she needs to sleep."

"As do we," Brennan replied. "I'll be quicker than a flash." He took his hat and then his wife's out to the table in the living room, being careful not to wake up their daughter who was fast asleep on the sleeper sofa. He smiled at the sight of the three hats together, before he went back into the bedroom and closed the door. "I have an odd hat," he told his wife as she was setting her clothes for the next day on the desk.

"It suits you," Clara replied with a smile as she recalled his grey newsboy cap that had Jack Skellington on it. "I daresay it matches my headband very well doesn't it?"

Laughing Brennan nodded and then went over to her, kissing the nape of her neck as she had her hair pulled up. "Let's go out and see the animals," he told her.

"Are you going to look at them?" Clara asked as she went with him to the balcony.

"Aye, I promise. We've got to get to bed soon anyway," Brennan replied. They stood at the railing, looking at the zebras in sight before he turned to her and said, "You look bloody fantastic you know."

"In the headband?" Clara asked. When her husband nodded she smiled saying, "You would think that; you found it." As he nodded again she laughed that time and wrapped her arms around him before he brushed a kiss to her lips. He had spotted the Mickey ears headband at the store and she had instantly taken them to buy. She and Brennan already had a Mickey ears hat each, from when they had gone to Disneyland Paris shortly after their wedding. So they'd decided to get different kinds of hats that time and hers was just a headband with the ears white and covered with black lace. What she loved the most about it was the little black and white striped top hat with a flower in front of it and feathers attached to the top hat. And with the way her husband had looked at her when she'd tried it on she could tell he had loved it too. Thinking of the hats made her pull away from their embrace for a moment and she was about to ask him about Erin's hat when he squeezed her gently to stop her.

"She didn't wear her headband to bed with her," Brennan told his wife. "It was on the table as well."

"She does love it," Clara said, smiling as she recalled how happy Erin had been at Julia's finding it. It had Mickey ears as well with a large grey sequined bow in between and since the little girl already had a Mickey ears hat she had wanted something different too. "But she'll wear it for a long time the next week. Which reminds me, when should we do that sorting?"

"At breakfast, I'm sure everyone else will," Brennan said. When his wife started to tug him by the arm he groaned under his breath and said, "It's too early."

"Not for tomorrow Bren, come on," Clara replied. "We need to be rested to see how the Yanks take on Disney." She smiled when he laughed and pulled him into their bedroom, watching him close and lock the sliding door. When he turned to her she was there to meet him, kissing him tenderly on the lips before he pulled her close.

The pair exchanged a few more kisses after that, whispering they loved each other in between the second and third, going to their bed holding hands tightly in their need to be close before they got some rest for the night.

* * *

"Maybe I should have taken this for myself," Rebecca said with a smile as she reached to the nightstand and took her husband's hat he'd picked.

"I thought you weren't a fan of fedoras?" David asked, looking at her.

"This one is nice," Rebecca replied, leaning over and kissing her husband's cheek before she put the hat on his head.

"It is," David said, taking it off and looking at it while he turned it around. It was black and white, and it also had a black band with pewter pins of Jack Skellington going around it. He hadn't been sure about it; as Brennan also had the character on his hat; but since the character on the Irishman's hat couldn't really be seen he'd taken his choice. "Wear yours?" he then said to his wife.

"Pass, we need to sleep Dave," Rebecca replied. She smiled when her husband turned off the TV and said, "Though how're you going to be tomorrow when I wear it?"

"I'll remember that bow is very pink," David said. He laughed when she pushed him and said, "I'm kidding; I told you I liked it."

"Good because I love it," Rebecca replied, looking at the Mickey ears hat which had sequined covered ears, a pink bow with black sequins with a black rose in the middle and a black feather behind it. "Luckily Ruby doesn't mind her hat with her sister's hat being different," she added.

"Well… I still have to wonder why exactly Mari, Julia and Alexis all lost their hats," David commented. "And Marie too."

"I don't know… I guess it worked out though since Mari did like Alexis' hat from Tokyo," Rebecca said with a smile as she remembered their oldest asking the young woman about getting the grey felt Mickey ears hat. But Alexis had had no problem with her having it that time and they'd bought it for her while their youngest daughter had gotten a regular Mickey ears hat with her name embroidered on the back since she hadn't been to any Disney park yet. She set the hat aside and said, "We better turn in, it's starting to get later."

Looking at his watch, David saw that she was right, and he sighed before he said, "I guess you're right." He took it off and set it on his nightstand while she was getting up on the other side. They brushed their teeth together before going to the door to their bedroom to check on their daughters.

When she saw that they were asleep Rebecca pulled her husband back inside the room and said softly, "She was asking about staying the night with Julia while we're here."

"I'm not surprised," David said with a nod as he spoke quietly as well. "Did you let her know they'll be staying together when we're in Universal?"

"I did, and she understands," Rebecca assured him. "But she still wants to sleep over."

"I would be shocked if she didn't say that still," David said with a laugh before she quieted him. "Becca?" he asked her.

"Goodnight?" Rebecca replied with a smile.

"Yeah," David said. He gave her a quick peck on the lips before they parted, and he said, "Night."

"Night," Rebecca murmured before they kissed again and much more deeply before she laid down with him. Once the lights were off she looked at him and said, "Love me?"

"I think I do," David said with a smile.

"Good, because I feel the same about you," Rebecca replied.

"See you tomorrow Becca," David told his wife.

"See you," Rebecca said with a smile, leaning up and kissing at his jaw. She felt him squeeze her arm before she allowed herself to close her eyes while he embraced her to him tightly as they fell asleep together.

* * *

"Girls," Skye said, looking at her oldest and youngest daughters. "You need to go to sleep. And take off the hats, we're wearing them tomorrow."

"But I really like mine Mummy," Marie said.

"Shh," Mary said, coming over from the bathroom. "You'll wake up your sisters," she told the two.

"Come on, give me the hats," Skye said, holding her hands out to them.

"We better," Marie told Iris.

With a sigh, the little girl handed over her hat while her sister was doing the same before she said, "We're not tired."

"Excited?" Skye asked her. When the little girl nodded she smiled before she reached for her and took her onto her hip before saying, "I understand but you're going to be too tired to walk around. You'll have to take a nap."

Wrinkling her nose Iris said, "Okay, I'll go to bed."

Skye kissed her temple before she helped her down to the lower bed in the bunk bed. When the little girl was set she told both Iris and Marie sternly, "Go to sleep, we're going to bed too once we brush our teeth okay?"

Seeing the little girls nod their heads Mary said a tender goodnight to them both before she and her wife went to the table to take the hats before they carried them all out to the living room. She and Skye looked at them all together and she took her hand to lead her over to the bathroom. "Did that surprise you?" she asked her wife with a smile.

"Yes, but then I'm glad to see it," Skye replied, smiling at her. "It means they're getting close with their sisters."

"The fact that they were helping each other so much with their hats proves that," Mary said. "Look," she then said, picking up her phone that was on the counter. She showed her wife the phone and the picture that she'd taken earlier of the hats, all seven of them together. "Are you really going to wear yours?" she asked.

"Yeah," Skye said with a smile. "You don't want me to?"

"Oh no, I do," Mary said quickly, glancing quickly at the blue fedora her wife had picked out with its grey band with a Mickey head on it.

"Be sure to wear yours," Skye said, smiling at her after she'd glanced at her headband. It had Mickey ears and was a champagne color with sequins all over, patches of red flowers on both sides and feathers to the left as well.

"I will," Mary said with a smile. They started to brush their teeth and once she had finished first she said, "I decided to name the hats."

Looking up at her wife in slight confusion for a moment, Skye then realized what she was talking about and said, "Oh really? And what is your system pray tell?"

"Okay, for Marie the Haunted Mansion," Mary replied, their oldest's hat Mickey ears with green and dark blue stripes, blue ears with bats on them as well as a chain on both ears with a pewter bat above the brim. "Kath is of course the Pirate Princess," her hat purple heraldry symbols with a tiara at the top and pink skull and cross bones on the ears. "Fleur we'll call the Petite Mermaid," she continued, smiling when Skye laughed as their middle daughter's hat was Ariel themed Mickey ears. "Ivy the Sorceress," she said as the little girl's choice of headwear was a Mickey ears headband with the Sorcerer's hat from _Fantasia_ in between the ears. "And our little Iris is our Mad Hatter," she finished with.

Laughing, as their youngest's hat was Alice in Wonderland Mickey ears with the Mad Hatter's hat on it, Skye said, "I think we'll be able to remember who has what; especially the girls." She half expected Mary to tease her about that but instead her wife kissed her and hard. She did her best to respond but she was soon pulling away and she whispered, "Bed time."

"It is, but I love you," Mary replied.

"I love you too," Skye said, kissing her gently before they parted, and she took her hand. They went to the bedroom they would be sharing with their five daughters and she knew they were both feeling a deep sense of joy at knowing they were all together there to experience everything together.

* * *

"Jules, you really should get to bed," Alexis whispered to her sister.

"I was just looking at the hats," the girl murmured.

"I know, but seriously," Alexis replied. When Julia wrinkled her nose at her she smiled and said, "We all need rest; our grandparents are asleep too aren't they?"

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod. She then peered inside Alexis' room; since they were talking in the doorway that joined the rooms; and said, "He really loves the Goofy hat."

"He does," Alexis said, looking over at that larger character hat her boyfriend had gotten. She smiled as she recalled how Louis had delighted the younger kids by mimicking the character once they'd all bought their hats before she remembered what she was talking to Julia about.

"And yours is pretty too," the girl said, looking at the headband next to the hat. It had Mickey ears that were red and white stripped as well as red flowers, black feathers and a pink pin with a pirate Mickey Mouse head on it.

"It is but our parents would be really mad you're out of bed when they tucked you in," Alexis said. "Go." She smiled when Julia wrinkled her nose at her again, but she said goodnight to her before she replied and watched her to make sure that she went before she headed back to bed with Louis who was already fast asleep.

Once she was sure her sister was inside her room; the door closed; Julia padded out in her bare feet carefully to the table. She picked up her hat, smiling at the gold sequined Mickey ears and cap with peacock feathers and blue button before she set it down. She wanted to wear it again but decided to distract herself before she picked up Eliza's orange Mickey ears headband that had pink and red flowers on it. She remembered her sister saying it looked like an orange which was perfect since they were in Florida. She did her best not to start giggling and quickly looked over at her grandmother's headband which had hound's-tooth fabric over the ears, feathers and a veil all in black and white.

Last Julia took her grandfather's hat and couldn't resist putting it on her head, glancing to the sliding door and tempted to go to the balcony since it was a safari hat with Mickey ears with Mickey on the band around it. She smiled as she took it off, recalling they still had the Animal Kingdom park to visit as well as any park too. With that she hurried to the bedroom, going quietly inside to join Martha on their bed to finally sleep. She found it difficult though as she was looking forward to both the next day to spend with just her family and the days after to visit Disney World with everyone else.

* * *

"Rick," Beckett said in amusement as she stepped out on the balcony. "Take off your hat."

"Why? It's awesome," Castle replied. "And I'm pretending I'm on a ship right now so shh."

Beckett shook her head with a soft laugh and said, "I think you're grounded Captain."

"Not Captain," Castle said. At his wife's surprise he said, "I'm Mr. Christian."

Laughing again, as she knew her husband loved the book _Mutiny on the Bounty_ , Beckett did her best to calm down before she asked, "Before or after the mutiny?"

Pretending to think that over Castle finally shrugged and said, "Too late, we're already grounded like you said."

Taking her husband's hand, Beckett squeezed it and said, "Then let's get to bed."

"Sure," Castle said, letting him lead her into the room before he closed and locked the door behind them while he took off his Mickey ears hat at the same time.

"Don't worry, I like it," Beckett said when he glanced at her. "Though your playing Mr. Christian doesn't really work with that hat."

"Pirate Rick?" Castle asked as his hat had a skull on the cap wearing an eyepatch and a skull and crossbones bandana that trailed to the left of it.

"Just Rick, please," Beckett said, taking the hat and setting it onto the table next to her Steampunk theme Mickey ears hat that Julia had had in Tokyo Disney. She hadn't been sure about it; not because Julia used to have one; but because she wasn't sure if she would look ridiculous wearing the plaid cap. But Julia and Eliza had assured her that the colors looked really good on her and she had to admit she did like the accoutrements of it. The brown feathers, brown fabric flowers, vintage buttons and a silver vintage key all appealed to her and she said, "Too bad there wasn't one for guys that was similarly themed."

"Oh, I know," Castle said, nodding his head. "I would have snapped that up. But look at it this way; I'll be the pirate and you'll be the Victorian lady I save."

"Save from what?" Beckett said, a smile playing at her lips.

"Arranged marriage? I don't know," Castle replied.

Beckett laughed again but she kept it quiet as Josie was asleep in their bedroom and thinking of their baby made her turn to the last Mickey ears hat on the table.

"It's adorable," Castle said, smiling as he watched her pick up the tiny hat with Josie's name embroidered on the back. "But let's make sure we don't switch that hat and Sophie's."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "She-" before she looked over at the bedroom when the baby started to cry, and she rushed over to the crib. Picking Josie up she murmured to her lovingly and went to the bed, sitting up against the headboard.

"Should we be worried she woke up again?" Castle asked.

"No, likely just shaken up by all the moving around we've been doing," Beckett said, smiling at the baby as she was nursing by then. "But she slept very well before this," she said though she was speaking to Josie.

"And hopefully she'll sleep great after this," Castle said, getting on the bed after he'd gotten a towel to put on his shoulder. He was speaking to the baby too but as soon as he'd finished he tilted his head up to his wife, kissing her as hard as he possibly could.

Not taken aback by him doing that Beckett was quick to respond to him before she reached up with her free hand to cup his face. After they had parted she smiled and said, "We need to keep that under control."

"I know; I just hadn't had the chance to do that really," Castle replied. He then leaned down and brushed his lips to Josie's temple telling the baby, "Sorry _ceann beag_ , I wanted to give your mom some attention first." And with that he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, watching the baby with his wife and holding Beckett close.

"Now we'll need to make sure we give her enough attention still," she commented after a while.

"We can look at this as grandparent-granddaughter time," Castle suggested.

Thinking about that for a moment, Beckett nodded and then smiled saying, "I get the feeling your mom was thinking that… But why didn't she just tell me?"

"I think because she wanted to make sure she wasn't focusing on one particular grandchild," Castle said.

"She never expected this many," Beckett stated.

"No," Castle said with a smile. "It's why she and Alexis are so close besides the fact that she helped me raise her." He then brushed a kiss to his wife's temple and told her, "She's happy she doesn't need to do that, she can just be the spoiling grandmother this time around."

"These times," Beckett corrected him.

"These times," Castle echoed. "We're set now? No more wondering."

"No," Beckett said. "If either Martha or my dad had second thoughts then they really waited until the last minute."

"Were you letting them see the hotel and pool first to see if they changed their minds?" Castle asked.

At first Beckett couldn't answer, switching Josie to her other breast, but she finally said, "No. But since you brought it up I've been wondering what you thought of the dinner."

"It was amazing," Castle replied. "They did a really good job on it and even though I've never had a lot of those dishes I think they were really trying to be authentic."

"I think they managed it," Beckett said, smiling when her husband nodded. She leaned over and they shared a brief kiss before parting and she said, "Imagine Epcot."

"I know," Castle said seriously. "But the sad thing is we only have two meals there and there are… so many places."

"Do they have breakfast?" Beckett asked. She couldn't help smiling at the way her husband's surprise was so obvious on his face and she laughed softly before telling him, "We can go early and we have the time for it."

"I'd like that a lot," Castle said, nodding his head. "And I bet the girls will too." He then frowned slightly before he said, "There aren't that many rides there, a lot of them are movies."

"Which the kids will still find fascinating," Beckett said. "Since I know most of the kids haven't been to. Though it'll be interesting to see how our girls and Mari will react to the Japan section."

"I'd been thinking that too," Castle said, watching Josie closely as he could tell she was nearly finished. "I think they'll still enjoy seeing it and what we can do there of course." His wife didn't reply as the baby was pulling away and he quickly took her before he placed her on his shoulder and began to pat her back, looking at his wife questioningly when he saw the expression on her face. At first, he didn't think she was going to say anything when she reached for him and he had his answer shortly after.

Kissing him tenderly Beckett pulled away to look at him and said, "I love seeing you like this; a father."

"Now you know how I feel about you," Castle said with a smile. He leaned down slightly, and their lips met in a tender kiss before he rested his forehead against hers. He was tempted to speak again but decided that nothing needed to be said before he realized that Josie was settling against his shoulder.

"Go ahead," Beckett said with a smile at her husband when he stepped back and she knew what he was going to do. "Usually I'm the one doing that," she added.

Castle nodded before he started to walk around the space in the room by the sliding door, rubbing at Josie's back. "Before you fall asleep," he murmured to the baby. "Happy Birthday _ceann beag_ , you're three months today. We would have told you, but we didn't get the chance."

Listening to him, Beckett smiled and then said, "She'll appreciate that when we tell her the story."

"When she's older?" Castle asked his wife as she got up.

Beckett nodded and then made her way over to the bathroom to quickly clean up before she stepped back out and saw her husband was watching for her. "What?" she asked, slightly startled at the look on his face.

"You know you could still be a model," Castle said.

Hearing the slight strain in his voice Beckett had an idea of what he had seen as she'd walked over to the other room since she hadn't buttoned her pajama top until that moment. She wanted to call him a pervert, but something made her hesitate and she instead said, "That's nice to know but I don't really want to."

"Why?" Castle asked.

Knowing that was asked out of honest curiosity Beckett smiled and told him, "Because the pictures that get taken of the two of us are enough. And really do you want men ogling me?"

Castle's jaw clenched for a moment before he said, "There were a couple doing that by the pool."

"They glanced at me love," Beckett said gently. "They had families."

"You didn't see the one guy who was with… I don't know who he was with," Castle said. "But he was staring more than he should have."

"I didn't notice him," Beckett said.

"Don't worry, I never thought you did," Castle said quickly. "But while I'm really annoyed at the guy the fact I'm holding our baby… our second baby…"

Beckett laughed softly and then leaned over to kiss the side of his head before she told him, "How're we going to do that by the way? We might be really tired."

"I thought of that too," Castle said. "But you know when the water parks close so we'll be back earlier. And Mother will insist."

"Shh," Beckett said, stopping them from laughing. "She's asleep."

Seeing quickly she was right Castle brushed his lips to the top of Josie's head before he murmured, "Love you Josie," handing her over to his wife.

Cradling the baby, Beckett kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you too sweetie, sleep tight tonight we're going to have a busy day tomorrow." She went over to the crib with her husband and she set her inside. She covered her with a thin blanket and once she was sure the baby was settled she took his hand and led him over to the bed where he stopped her from climbing on it to her surprise.

"I had an idea," Castle explained.

"Can we get onto the bed first?" Beckett asked softly with a smile. "We have to sleep."

"Yeah," Castle said, getting onto the mattress with her. He waited until they were laying down and the lights were off before he said, "Tomorrow and Sunday we'll eat dinner at the Magic Kingdom, right?"

"Yeah," Beckett said, looking up at him though her eyes were still trying to get used to the dark.

"You know there are a lot of restaurants in Epcot, right? The world part I mean," Castle told her. He felt her nod and then told her, "I was thinking what if after we finish with the Magic Kingdom we try to eat over there each night?"

Beckett was quiet for a moment before she said, "The park we're by now is a little far."

"I know, it's why I'm asking you about that," Castle said. "We don't need to go that night but the other nights maybe… if the kids aren't too tired of course." She was about to speak when he then said, "And we don't need to go to each country; what about just the ones we haven't been to before?"

"That's a lot Rick," Beckett said. "I looked up the countries and saw there are six we haven't been to; seven for the girls. Canada," she said last to explain.

"True," Castle said. "Well… we can pare that down a little bit I think."

"I'll think about it," Beckett told him. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his jaw in a few kisses before she said, "But we might do that."

"Good to know," Castle said before he then ducked his head slightly and captured her lips before they began to kiss. He held her closely to him, caressing her hair with his free hand before they parted for a moment and then began to kiss again. When they stopped after the second he said, " _We're going to need to love_."

" _I know_ ," Beckett said, following him in speaking in Irish. She pressed a little closer to him and murmured, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle replied seriously. He kissed her hungrily that time, but they didn't let it linger for very long and he made sure they were both comfortable. After they had said quiet goodnights to each other he closed his eyes, rubbing her arm as she relaxed against him and they slowly began to fall asleep together feeling ready and eager for the real start of their vacation at the resort with their family and friends the next day.


	3. Every Mile Of Railroad Track

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I was really happy getting the feedback I did for the last chapter, so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! Guest (It was great that you thought the first half was a great start for the story. And of course, I was pleased to see you thought the second half was so good. I'm glad already you think it's going to be fun with them at Disney World!),

MononenMinna (Nice to see that you love how the story began and that you think they're going to have a great time. And glad to see that you think with all the kids they'll have some nice adventures for sure. With the fighting it's hard to put that in all the time but stuff will come up. I was a little confused, I'm guessing that you said you were waiting for some tender moments between the parents? If that's what you meant, then I'm not surprised about that. And I'm really happy to see that you think it's good that Alexis and Louis are sharing a room. You're definitely right that they're adults so they should),

TORONTOSUN (I've very glad to read that you thought the chapter was a great start to a good story. And great you like how Julia has fun with Skye. Nice to see you like too how they ended up in Orlando. Pleased reading you thought it was very good!),

Mb (Happy to see you thought the first half was fantastic. I'm not surprised you're jealous of the vacation already, lol, I am too definitely. I had to laugh at your mentioning it sounded like their group had an entire wing of the hotel, there is a lot there. Great you think it's good for Alexis and Louis to have a room on their own though it's attached to the room her sisters and grandparents are staying in. But you're right, that's what locks are for. I was happy to see you thought the talk that Alexis had with Beckett and the discussion of red headed grandchildren but Beckett saying not just yet was nice! Yeah, I figured that Martha wouldn't mind watching the three or the other kids since the adults wouldn't just leave her with everything and make sure she has fun too. Had to laugh when you said you were so jealous of the vacation again. You're very welcome for the first half! I was really pleased reading you loved looking into their rooms and hearing about their Mickey hats since that was something different for me to write, lol. But I wasn't surprised you mentioned the couples all having to hold back on being intimate since they had an early and busy day the next day. I wasn't surprised you mentioned Beckett understand why Martha was happy being with her granddaughters. I'd had that thought myself that she went through a long time with just Castle and Alexis with no chance for anymore grandchildren so it's why I have her so happy with the three as well, lol. So happy you thought it was beautifully written. And you're welcome again, for the second half!) and

vetgirlmx (So pleased that you're already enjoying the vacation though they hadn't been there for all that long. I had to laugh how you said you probably shouldn't be surprised that Julia made Skye sing before their flight, lol, she does tend to ask her. And yeah, Skye would know several pilots and flight attendants because of her father and job… and being a pilot herself, lol. I was laughing again when you mentioned the logistics of them having dinner together, but you do make a point. And I agree, reservations must be made though luckily Disney World does have big restaurants including that one at the hotel I looked into, lol, which was partially why I picked it. No surprise that you weren't surprised they went to the pool right after checking in, interesting to see that reading about them on the slide made you think you were smelling chlorine. And I'm really pleased that you thought it was really interesting with the as you called it hat themed bedtime stories, lol. I'm glad I did that, I wanted to describe their hats and thought it would be fun to go to different points of view. Oh, and glad you liked the descriptions of the hats, I wish I could put pictures of them but hopefully the descriptions help. So of course, I'm happy you really enjoyed that part of it and I'll have to see if I can work it in in the future, I'll try! Great you're excited about their plans for the next few days and can hardly wait and now you don't need to anymore!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, loved reading them and appreciate everyone taking the time to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Sentimental Journey_ written by Bud Green, the version I've taken from is sung by Ringo Starr from his album with the same title as the song.

Every Mile Of Railroad Track

"I feel like there should be a drumroll," Castle told his wife.

"At the end?" Beckett asked, looking over at him from her phone.

"Yes," Castle said.

"Don't torture them Rick," Beckett said, looking at him though she was smiling slightly at how seriously he had answered her.

"Was that the last question Mom?" Julia asked her mother a little nervously, watching her closely.

"No, one more," Beckett replied. It was the eighteenth and they were with their friends and family on the Monorail heading to the Magic Kingdom park. She and Castle were doing the test for the Pottermore site for the girls as the other parents were as well though Alexis and Louis were doing it on their own phones. "So you're in a cave and there are four passageways. One has a trail of coins, the other jewels, the third has a dagger sticking in the ground and the last bread crumbs. Which do you go down?"

Julia was startled by that question, so she thought about it for a moment and said, "Breadcrumbs?"

"Are you sure?" Beckett asked with a smile. When her daughter nodded she selected the option and hit the submit button and said, "That was the last one."

Closing her eyes tightly Julia then waited for her mother while she wished for her house to be the same as she'd had before. She was startled when she felt a hand on her arm and opened her eyes seeing that it was her mother. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"You're in Ravenclaw," Beckett said simply.

Castle looked over when Julia suddenly let out a short shriek and he smiled at his wife saying, "I'm guessing she's happy."

"Very, did Eliza finish?" Beckett asked.

"I'm in Ravenclaw too Jules!" the little girl said eagerly to her big sister, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Now you and Dad need to do your sorting," Julia said.

"We are right now," Castle said. "While we do that watch outside, you're missing a great view."

Nodding Julia turned with her sister to the window they were by, wondering why their friends who had also been doing the tests first hadn't reacted like she had. The more she thought about it she felt more embarrassed though they were the only ones in the car of the Monorail that morning at nearly eight. She sighed when she felt the train was starting the slow down and she and Eliza shared a look, forgetting her own embarrassment as they could see the train station at the entrance to the park.

"Okay everyone," Skye called as they stood up together to get ready to leave. "We're going to head out but before we split up let's announce our houses since we're all finished, right?"

"Are we having both meals together?" Brad asked.

"What about breakfast?" Clara asked.

"That's a separate one," David said as they all had something to eat on the way to their first ride.

Since the doors opened at that point the group got up and started to walk down from the Magic Kingdom station where they went straight to the entrance gate and were allowed in before they took a group picture in front of the Mickey made of flowers underneath the Main Street Disney Railroad station. When that was finished they went together under one of the bridges for the railroad before they stopped looking down Main Street towards Cinderella Castle together, taking pictures until Castle spoke.

"We all finished that sorting, right?" he asked the adults to remind them.

"Yeah, we better announce this," David said wryly. "Mari's tugging on my hand like crazy."

Since the little girl was frowning at her father when he turned to look down at her the others laughed before Skye whistled.

"Should we have the Castles go first?" the investigator asked.

"The six of us got Ravenclaw again," Beckett said, motioning between herself, Castle and their daughters; except for the baby.

"Sure, you're not going to try to sort Josie?" Brennan asked.

"We're sure," Beckett said before she looked at her father. "Did you guys take the quiz?" she asked him.

"I got Gryffindor again," Martha replied.

"A little different for me," Jim said. He couldn't help smiling as the others looked at him in surprise and he told them, "Hufflepuff."

"Oh, that's good too," Julia said quickly though she was a little startled he hadn't gotten into Ravenclaw again. "It means you're loyal."

"Your guys' turn now," Castle said to David.

"Okay, I got into Gryffindor," the man replied.

"I got Ravenclaw," Rebecca said, smiling when Julia and Eliza gasped. She wasn't surprised when the former looked at Mari in concern, so she quickly said, "Mari's still in Ravenclaw and Ruby followed her dad into Gryffindor."

"I'll take it," Brad said next. He then pointed to himself pretending he was about to start when he stopped and said, "We're all in Gryffindor; except for Sophie. No idea where she is yet."

"That was easy," Clara said. When the Davises and others were looking at her and her husband she smiled and said, "I'm in Hufflepuff as well Jim."

"I'll be in Ravenclaw with my cousins," Brennan said, smiling at Julia and Eliza.

"I've got Gryffindor with Louis!" Erin said eagerly.

"Red and blue," the young man said to his girlfriend.

Alexis shook her head though she took the moment to take his hand, squeezing it tightly before they looked over at Skye and Mary to see what houses they had gotten.

"There were some interesting revelations with our sortings," Skye said first. "I had Ravenclaw again-"

"No surprise there," Beckett said jokingly.

Laughing briefly Mary then said, as her wife had nudged her side slightly, "I got Slytherin."

"What?" "How?" Julia and then Eve asked.

"I suppose I'm a bit cunning," Mary replied, not surprised at that reaction as her daughters had had the same. "But in a good way I assure you."

"I got Ravenclaw," Marie said.

"I'm in Gryffindor," Kathleen told the others, beaming.

"Fleur's in Hufflepuff," Skye said, putting her hand on the back of the little girl's head. "Ivy is in Gryffindor and Iris in Ravenclaw."

"You managed to get all four houses," Alexis said.

"I thought the same; so I definitely don't mind Slytherin," Mary said in reply.

"Hey, is it alright if we have a family dinner?" Rebecca asked.

"I think this first night we should be having dinners with our families," Brennan commented. "And then from tomorrow share that meal all together."

When the other families had agreed Beckett said, "So here we split up. Have fun and we'll likely see each other so I guess it's more see you when we see you."

"See you," Skye said, taking Fleur and Iris' hands so they could get started walking through Main Street.

With the McDouglases leaving the other families started to take off, calling for the others they were leaving to have fun. Castle and Beckett were last with their family, walking down the street a bit slowly as they were taking pictures before Julia suddenly stopped.

"Look," she breathed in awe. When her family looked over as well she smiled widely as she watched her mother.

"I guess they're not ready to pull the trolleys yet," Alexis said, smiling at her stepmother as well.

"No," Beckett said, going over to the line of horses that were being taken to the cars and trolley.

"Hello ma'am," the cast member said, holding the thoroughbred steady as he was waiting.

"Is it alright if I pet her?" Beckett asked.

"Do you have experience with horses?" the man asked.

"A bit of it," Castle commented as he and the rest of the family had caught up to her.

Beckett half expected the man to suddenly recognize her but when he just nodded to her she was relieved he hadn't. Gently she held out her hand and let the mare press her nose against her palm. When the horse merely raised its head, she smiled and then gently rubbed her nails against her forehead before she said, "How old is she?"

"Seven," the man said, surprised she'd known the mare's love of being scratched in that place.

"Is it alright if my daughters pet her too?" Beckett then said, gently holding the mare's head as she'd nudged against her.

"Go ahead but one at a time," the cast member said.

In turn Alexis, Julia and Eliza pet the horse and Castle did the same before they were thanking the employee, starting to walk down the street again towards the castle looming brilliantly in front of them.

"Do you like your hat Grandpapa?" Eliza asked him as she was holding his hand when they turned to the left of Cinderella's Castle.

"I do, it'll be good for the sun," Jim said. He saw her looking ahead at the sign for the first land they were going to visit, and he picked her up so she could start taking pictures.

"Where are we going first?" Martha asked while she took Josie's stroller from Alexis who walked with Julia.

"The Jungle Cruise," Castle told his mother. "We wanted Josie to be able to go on the first ride-"

"You mean you did," Martha interrupted him with a smile.

"He had the idea, but I agree with it," Beckett said, looking away from her camera for the moment. "What do you think?" she then asked as her father hadn't gone with them to either Disneyland or Tokyo Disney.

"It's stunning," Jim said with a nod.

"You'll see they're dedicated to their themes," Martha said, nodding to the Polynesian themed structures they were nearing by then.

"Grandpapa you can put me down," Eliza said eagerly before she was down. She rushed to her parents and stood between them asking, "Are we gonna go on all the rides?"

"As many as we can," Beckett said with a smile.

"What's closed?" Alexis asked.

"No rides," Castle answered as he spotted the ride. "But they have some experiences closed. For right now though, here we are," he said though Julia was already squealing with excitement, her little sister joining her in that soon after while his mother steered the stroller to the stroller parking that was virtually empty. He was about to take the baby from her when his wife stopped him to his slight surprise.

"I'll take her now," Beckett told him. She got Josie from her mother in law and set her against her shoulder before she said, "Since we'll be going on rides with them."

Castle nodded before they stepped into the line when he paused as his mother was touching his arm.

"What about these?" Martha asked, holding up her left wrist and the white bracelet that had a red Mickey head on it.

"When we will need them we'll use them," Castle said. "But look, we're walking right to the loading dock so it doesn't matter."

"Go ahead," Beckett said, smiling at Eliza who had stopped as she'd gotten onto the boat they'd be riding. She knew that her middle daughter was worried about Josie, but she managed to get onto the boat as well before sitting with her two oldest on either side of her. She smiled at her husband as he and Martha sat across from them and said, "Here we go."

Castle smiled at that comment before they were beginning on their ride and he wasn't all that surprised to find the ride was very close to how it had been in Tokyo Disney. He saw that Eliza was greatly enjoying it; trying to point out the animatronic animals to Josie though the baby obviously couldn't see them. When he looked at Julia though he saw she seemed to be a little nonchalant about the ride and he knew she was thinking about it being too tame. He reached over and squeezed her arm before smiling when she looked at him, having in mind already their next ride as they continued the 'cruise.'

When they stepped off the ride Julia smiled at her little sister as she was talking to Jim excitedly about what they'd gotten to see. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see it was her mother. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, how would you like to go on a more thrilling ride right now?" Beckett asked her.

"Can we?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Castle said. "This way," he told them once Beckett had Josie back in her carrier.

Julia took her mother's hand and they walked together down the path past the ride, taking pictures the best she could with one hand of the buildings as they started to change. She almost missed the next ride before she realized the building she was taking a picture of had a sail in front of it. "Pirates?" she asked eagerly.

"It is," Castle said. "This one Josie needs to sit out."

"I'll stay with her," Martha said. "Jim you'd better go with them," she added, smiling at their granddaughters.

"I will," he said, looking down at Julia and Eliza who'd rushed over to grab his hands while they peered up at him hopefully. "Where will you be?"

"Walking around, I believe there are some shops there…" Martha began.

"I think they're still there," Castle said with a nod, knowing which ones she was talking about.

"That's where I'll be," Martha said with a nod.

"Let's go before the line gets any longer," Beckett said as the girls looked at her. "Dad, there's a drop on this," she then told her father. "They might want you to sit in the front with them."

"That's fine," Jim replied. He picked Eliza up before Julia went in front of him through the entrance where there was a skull and crossbones with banners reading ' _Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me_ ' and then down the line.

Looking around at the décor they were passing Alexis glanced behind her at her stepmother and dad, seeing they were talking to each other before they neared the loading point. She was going to ask if they minded sitting with her when her father was asking the cast member sending people to the rows if they could sit in the first and second.

"This'll be so fun Grandpapa," Julia said excitedly. "This one we haven't been on, so it could be different."

"The drops are fun," Eliza said happily before she squealed when the boat began to move into the water. She looked around and with it so dark she couldn't help feeling a little unsettled, pressing closer against her grandfather.

"Look at the fog," Julia said, pointing to the mist screen they were nearing.

"Who is that?" Castle murmured to his wife.

"I don't remember," Beckett said as she was sure the character was from the movies but couldn't recall which.

"This is like the ride in California," Castle murmured to his wife as they passed a beach scene with skeletons on it.

"Not exactly Dad," Alexis said with a smile as; after the scene with the skeleton pirate piloting a ship's wheel; they heard rushing water.

"It's the drop!" Julia cried happily. She had to very quickly put her hands up in the air before they were going down. She didn't have a chance to see if her grandfather and little sister were doing that too as they were quickly at the bottom, but she saw he was lowering them.

"See the ship Grandpapa?" Eliza was asking him.

"I do, that's a full pirate ship," Jim said, smiling at her.

"We're fine Dad," Beckett said as he'd looked back at her. "Pay attention to the show."

Julia smiled at her mother but then looked forward herself, wrapping her arms around her grandfather while Eliza was pointing out everything though he could see it. She wasn't surprised when he eventually calmed the little girl down and held her against his other side as they were passing through the town and then made it to where it was burning. "My favorite part is coming up," she said to Jim.

Looking ahead, Beckett's father laughed when he saw the scene of the three pirates in jail trying to get the keys from the dog. "Does your mother know that?"

"I like it too Dad," Beckett said from behind them.

"Yeah, she's imagining Johnny D- ow," Castle said with a laugh as she socked his shoulder, though it was done playfully.

"There he is Mommy," Eliza said, pointing to the character sitting in a room filled with treasure.

"I like him as an actor, I'm not in love with him," Beckett said wryly.

"I think that's you 'lexis," Julia said with a smile at her big sister.

Wrinkling her nose at her Alexis playfully stuck her tongue out at Julia before they were reaching the end of the ride and she climbed out after her father and stepmother. "What's up next?" she asked.

"We need to head back," Beckett answered, picking up Eliza when she'd hurried over to her to be picked up.

"Is it the carpet ride?" Julia asked. When her parents both nodded she said, "Could we go on that later?"

"What did you want to do?" Beckett asked, not minding letting her decide.

"Want to go to the next land?" Julia asked her little sister as they were leaving the building where the ride was.

"Yeah… what's there?" Eliza asked.

"It's Frontierland," Castle said, reading the map he'd gotten at the entrance. "Splash Mountain is there but Eliza you're tall enough to go on that."

"I am?" the little girl said in amazement.

"Let's find your gram and then we'll go see the drop so you can decide," Beckett told her.

Nodding her head, Eliza went to her father and let him put her up on her shoulders. Once she was there she enjoyed the view she had of the bazar where Martha was, looking around the items for sale. After they had reunited with her they walked over to the next land before they were suddenly running into the McCulloughs.

"Hullo there," Brennan said. "We're on our way to the Pirates ride."

"We just left that," Beckett said, smiling as she watched her cousin lean over to tickle Josie's neck.

"Where are you off to now?" Louis asked, taking the moment to hold his girlfriend's hand.

"Splash Mountain," Eliza said, still on Castle's shoulders.

"We'll go to that next," Clara said.

"Have fun," Beckett said, allowing the family to go then as they were still in the magic hour before the park fully opened. She waved to them before they walked on and she went with her family over to the other land which they reached very shortly after. And because Splash Mountain was first when they reached the Frontierland they were soon after standing in front of the drop, watching Eliza watching the ride to see what she would say about trying it for the first time.

Seeing the water splashing up after a boat had gone down the drop and disappeared, Eliza's eyes widened before she said to her father, "Can I go with you Daddy?"

"Of course," Castle replied, taking her from his shoulders so he could set her on his hip. "You want to go?"

Nodding her head Eliza said to her sisters, "Are you gonna go?"

"Even me," Jim said. When the others looked at him he smiled and said, "I would like to try all these rides if they're not too bad; I've never been to a Disney park before." He paused and then said, "You'll tell me if anything's really bad, right?"

"I will," Beckett said.

"Hey," Castle said, straightening up from kissing Josie on the forehead. "I'd tell him too. And I'd be honest."

"He would," Martha said with a smile as Beckett was kissing the baby next. "We'll be over by the water where you'll come out from the drop."

"It shouldn't take too long," Beckett said as they were removing their hats before they were going to the line which was luckily still short.

"Mom?" Julia said, hurrying to her and taking her hand. "I can go with you right?"

"You can," Beckett said, smiling at her. "Rick, will you-"

"Yeah, I almost forgot," Castle said, not surprised she'd remembered too. "Eliza," he said to the little girl he was holding on his hip then. "There is some stuff in the dark but it's not too, too scary."

"Kay," the little girl said. Eliza smiled and said, "That's why I'm gonna go with you Daddy." She then hugged him tightly around the neck and said to her mother, "I wanna go with you next Mommy," wondering what she would say to that as they entered the building where the line for the ride began.

"Of course, next will be Thunder Mountain though," Beckett told her with a smile.

"I wanna go with you," Eliza said seriously. When her mother nodded she looked ahead and squealed when she saw a squirrel run across in front of them. "Did you see?" she asked her father eagerly.

"I did but I don't think he wants to go on the ride," Castle replied. A short time after they reached the end of the line and he set Eliza down before he held her hand so they would be ready to get onto the boat they would get. "Let me go in first," he told the little girl.

"Where are we sitting on the boats?" Jim asked while watching a log shaped boat depart the loading station.

"We'll sit in the second row," Alexis said, looking at her stepmother.

Nodding Beckett said, "Third row will be better for Eliza… at least I hope it will."

"We're in the front?" Julia asked eagerly.

"We are," Beckett said before she asked the cast member there if they could sit in the first three rows after he'd checked Eliza's height. They were directed there, and she climbed into the boat first before her daughter was following her.

When their boat began to move Eliza squealed before they turned a corner and she said, "Are we gonna go on the drop!" as they were at an incline.

"Look at the frog," Castle said as they were passing it. When his wife nearly glared at him he said, "Don't worry sweetie, we're not yet."

Julia cried out when they went on a small drop, the water splashing them before she saw briars that went with the story. "The drop!" she cried out as they turned another corner and found themselves in front of it. She looked back at her little sister; after they had seen another boat going down it but saw she was smiling widely, glancing at her mother in surprise at Eliza's reaction.

"Are you excited sweetheart?" Castle asked the little girl. He smiled when she nodded and then laughed at her wide eyes when they had gone around the curve completely and reached another incline.

Beckett wasn't surprised to see there was another small drop after they had reached the top and she smiled as both her daughters squealed. She looked back at her father, hoping he didn't mind getting splashed or wet. But he seemed to be fine and she was turning quickly when her daughter exclaimed and was pointing to their right.

"Look at the clothes!" Julia exclaimed.

"Is that the washing?" Eliza asked her father.

"Critter washing," Castle said with a nod. They were going around the curve and he said, "Sorry to the people behind us but I need to tell my little girl; we're coming up to a drop."

"Is it the big one?" a little girl from the back row called.

"Not yet," Castle said, relieved no one seemed to be mad as they could clearly hear the rushing water. He told Eliza, "Hold on tight sweetie," before they were going down. He had kept his arms down, before he looked at the little girl to make sure she was alright.

"Aminals," Eliza said, having heard the singing and pointing ahead of them.

"I know, we're almost there," Castle said. He couldn't help laughing when she squirmed in excitement and looking at his oldest he said, "Think she realizes?"

"I don't think so," Alexis said in amusement before they were inside where the animals were singing and moving around.

Giggling at the bear trapped in a rabbit trap Julia said to her mother, "This is kinda close."

"Are you disappointed?" Beckett asked.

Laughing Julia shook her head before they went past a rabbit house with a patch of carrots in front of it before she heard Eliza squeal at the sound of rushing water. The drop was in the dark and she was a little involved in the splash of the water to worry about her little sister though she could hear her father soon after asking her if she was okay.

"That was like pirates," Eliza said though she was a little serious as the force of not seeing the drop had shocked her a little.

"A little bit look at the bear," Castle said, pointing out the character they were going by that had a beehive on its nose while it rolled around.

"The last drop…" Jim said to Alexis quietly next to him.

"It'll be okay, and fast," the young woman murmured since Eliza was laughing. She smiled when the little girl gasped at the sound of more rushing water and they were going down another short drop in the dark. She glanced at her step-grandfather and asked, "Are you okay?"

"How many of those are there?" Jim said before he smiled to assure her he was fine.

"I don't remember," Alexis said quickly before she motioned to him so she could tell him that she was sure the big drop was going to be next.

"Are you all wet?" Beckett asked Julia.

"Yeah," the girl said before looking behind them. She waved to her little sister before Eliza did so back and she turned her attention to the front as they were going through what she was sure was supposed to be a cave where the rabbit was being held in a beehive by the fox. But finally, they reached the last incline and she heard a slight whimper from Eliza at the vultures that were above them. But she couldn't help start feeling excited about the upcoming drop and she squeezed her mother's hand tightly.

Beckett smiled at Julia before she glanced back quickly at Castle to see he was talking to Eliza, not surprised since the scene they were passing on the incline was of the rabbit being menaced; while tied up; by the shadow of the fox. Shortly after they were at the top and she looked forward, blinking her eyes in the daylight before they were going down.

Screaming heavily Eliza was shocked when they were slowing down after what she thought would be a drop that was going to last forever. She looked around and then said, "That's it?"

"Did you like it?" Alexis asked, she and Jim looking at her. She could see that Beckett and Julia were doing the same in front of them before she heard someone calling Julia's name.

"Hi Gram!" the girl said, turning and waving at the walkway above them. Julia smiled when she saw Josie against their grandmother's chest and Martha having her 'wave' at them.

"We'll be there soon," Castle called as that was all he could say since they were moving fast. But when they finally slowed down they passed a waterfall and he groaned while Eliza giggled as they went up an incline before they were going on a very small drop. "Look, it's a party," he then pointed out to the little girl.

Looking ahead Eliza smiled at the welcome home sign for the rabbit before they were going by a steamboat with chickens dancing on it. When they'd passed it a bit she was laughing heavily as the fox was trying to pull the bear out of the briars while an alligator was watching the two from the water behind them. "Look Daddy, he's in jail!" she said happily, clapping.

"Critter jail," Castle said with a smile, unable to help it and leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her head when she nodded exuberantly in agreement.

When they left the scene, they came to another of the rabbit laying in front of his home before they reached the loading station. They left their boat with Eliza and Julia talking eagerly with Jim about the ride until they were outside fully and found Martha there waiting for them. Without much discussion, the family made their way over to Thunder Mountain, talking together eagerly about their plans for the next ride after it though they hadn't even gone on the roller coaster yet.

* * *

"This is the best," Julia said to her grandmother as she and Eliza were sitting with her at their table where they were waiting for the others to come out with their food.

"The castle is sooo pretty," the little girl said with a smile.

"It is," Martha said. "You two don't mind going on the same rides again? You keep mentioning Disneyland."

"And Tokyo but there are always little… um, different things," Julia started to say, unable to think of the word she wanted at first.

"Differences," Beckett said as she set the tray with drinks down on the table. "She's right," she then told her mother in law. That was all she could say though as Josie began to whimper and she needed to hurry to take her from the carrier to begin nursing her before she started to cry. She looked at Julia in surprise when she took the blanket that had been over her shoulder and said, "You've been watching your dad do that too many times."

Shrugging, as she was holding it in front of her mother, Julia said, "I want to help."

"Thank you," Beckett said. "Oh, and your dad also wanted you to know that if you're unable to finish any of your chicken tenders just give them to him."

"Okay," Julia said with a nod, smiling at Josie. "Is she gonna nap after this?"

"She is," Beckett replied.

"Jim and I may take turns or sit things out," Martha said as both her granddaughters were looking at her. "And here comes lunch."

Castle, after setting down his tray, went over to his wife and took the blanket from their oldest before he told her, "Go and eat, your grandparents can take you three on rides when you're done."

"You just don't want to go on Small World," Beckett said wryly.

"I admit it, I don't," Castle said. "But I thought you wanted to take her on that one too?"

"We can, but later when she's awake again," Beckett said with a smile. "But I'd like us to stick together Rick."

"Sure," Castle replied though he moved to sit on the chair next to her. "What'll be after this? Remember we need to go through Fantasyland for at least forty-five minutes."

"What about Haunted Mansion?" Julia suggested.

"And then make our way over to here again?" Castle asked, indicating Tomorrowland since they were eating at the Tomorrowland Terrace.

"Good idea," Beckett said with a smile before she was switching Josie to her other breast. When the baby eventually finished she burped her though both Castle and Julia started to move towards her. "I've got it," she said with a smile to them. "Both of you eat; I don't have much to eat." Seeing the look on her husband's face she said, "All I wanted was the salad."

"We should eat," Castle then told Julia seriously. He took the blanket from her and folded it before they turned their attention to their food. "How is it?" he asked his daughter and father in law as they'd all gotten the same thing; the _bahn mi_ sandwich.

"Great, though good thing you didn't get the aioli," Alexis said, speaking the rest to Jim.

Nodding Beckett's father said, "You should have gotten it Katie."

"I'm fine you guys," Beckett told them firmly. "I wasn't really hungry for anything but the salad."

Watching her turning to her food to start to eat Castle said, "We're also thinking of Josie."

"I realize that but she's fine," Beckett said, smiling at her husband as she was cutting a piece of the chicken in her Caesar salad. She thanked Castle when he quickly helped her and then asked the girls what they wanted to go on once they were in Tomorrowland for the rides. She wasn't surprised when the conversation took them through lunch and they were still talking about it together as they made their way to the other end of Fantasyland, so they could get to the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square.

* * *

Seeing the sign for the ride, Martha looked at her son and said, "I'm not sure Richard."

"Do you want us to go on it first and then tell you how it is?" Castle asked.

"That would be very nice," Martha said.

"It is a family themed roller coaster," Beckett said, bringing the stroller where Josie was fast asleep to her.

"Yes, but I feel it's far more… thrilling than the Barnstormer ride," Martha told her as they were at the Snow White roller coaster.

"True but you'll be fine… did you want my dad to ride it first?" Beckett then realized.

"I did," Martha said. "I'm sure we'll be able to go around a second time soon."

"Most likely," Castle said. "We'll meet you back here," he said once his mother was sitting on the bench they'd stopped by and was fully in the shade with Josie. He took his wife's hand and said, "I'm itching to ride with Julia."

"I'd love to go with my dad," Beckett said with a smile as her husband quickly look surprised. "Eliza wants to ride with Alexis; with me next time."

"Okay," Castle said, squeezing her hand before they then joined the rest of their family in going through the exit since the line by that time of the day was long. They had to wait a bit for the cast member to get them a place to sit and he was startled when the seating situation suddenly changed.

"I want to ride with Mom," Julia said. "Sorry Dad," she told him.

"I get the next ride…" Castle said, looking at his wife.

"I don't know," Beckett said with a laugh. "We'll wait until after this to look at the map. Who do you want to ride with sweetie?" she asked Eliza.

"Grandpapa," the little girl said swiftly.

"Just in time," Castle said, smiling at Alexis as the cast member was directing them to the back of the train that had just pulled into the station.

When they were settled Eliza asked her grandfather, "Are we gonna stay inside all the time?"

"I don't think so," Jim replied as they'd been able to see the ride while they'd been walking through the exit.

Seeing the green lights above the cast members turn on after their safety check Julia cried out loudly as they started and went fast almost immediately, banking to the right and out into the sunlight. After they had banked to the left they came to an incline and she looked at her mother in her excitement as she could tell already the ride would be great just by that little bit of track.

Going over the banks and a steeper one until they came to an indoor part that looked like a mine, Eliza was soon able to see it was. "Look at the jewels!" she giggled before she realized they were rocking back and forth slightly.

"You need to leave those alone Dad," Alexis said to her father with a smile as they were looking at the gems as Eliza was crying out the names of the dwarves that were among them.

Another incline at the end of the gem mine had Julia raising her arms above her head, smiling at her mother. When they got to the top they couldn't see what they were doing, and she let out a good scream as the surprise of the drop led her to react that way. But she was soon whooping out her joy when they were banking and dipping until they were suddenly stopped. "Why…" she said to her mother.

"I'm not sure," Beckett said as they were moving again and going by the dwarves' house from the movies though they stopped again in front of it. While they waited she touched Eliza's shoulder in front of her and said, "How're you liking it sweetie?"

"It's fun," the little girl said, smiling widely at her. She then frowned and said, "Why do we keep stopping?"

"We'll find out," Castle called from the last row. He wasn't surprised when both girls looked at him before they were finally going again only to find they were at the exit. "Did you guys see the witch at the door?" he asked the girls with a smile.

"I did," Julia said. "That was really short," she then told the adults with a frown.

"I liked it," Eliza said firmly before they could get out of the train and then walk to where Martha still was. She rushed to her grandmother and told her all about the ride until she stopped and said, "How come you have the map?"

"I think I know what we should do next," Castle's mother said to them with a smile.

"What did you find?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"The PeopleMover," Martha said. "Jim, you don't know the ride but it's a… travel ride I suppose very calm and we'll be able to go with all four of them. I've been looking at it on my phone."

"Wait a second-" Beckett started to say with a frown as she knew what her mother in law was thinking of.

"You can go on Space Mountain!" Eliza told her mother eagerly, grabbing her hand.

"We can go later," Alexis said as her parents both looked at her. "But Lizzy can't go anyways."

"I'm short," Eliza said with a smile. She then said to her big sister, "You want to go with us?"

"I'll go later," Alexis said to their parents. "Really, we'll go around a second time; I'm sure we're almost at the start of the park."

"Okay, we'll do that," Beckett said with a sigh. "But we'll stay together after this, please." She was relieved when the others didn't protest, and they were soon walking together to the PeopleMover ride as they reached it first. She turned to the girls, about to tell them to have fun when they interrupted her to her amusement.

"We'll be good," the girls said at the same time.

"That wasn't what I was going to say," Beckett said with a smile. She squeezed their shoulders and said, "Have fun."

"Thanks, you too," Julia said, Eliza nodding rapidly next to her. They watched their parents leaving hand in hand and she said to the others, "Are they going to go in the line?"

"I don't think so," Jim said as he picked up Eliza. "It's almost two hours now."

"Oh… what about our ride?" Julia asked.

"We'll go through the line; it's short enough," Martha said as she was parking the stroller and picking up Josie in her carrier while Alexis was getting her bag. She wasn't surprised when the two older girls were walking with Jim, holding his hands and asking him about it.

"It's nothing really special Jules, Lizzy," Alexis told them quickly.

"But we will be able to see wonderful views," Martha said as they were going up.

"Then it could be special," Eliza said with a wide smile at her sister.

"I guess so," Alexis said with a laugh. They were at the loading station and they were directed into two of the cars that were connected. She sat with Martha and Josie while Jim took the girls into the car in front. As they started she said with a smile to her grandmother, "Should I remind them we've been here?"

"We remember but we want to act surprised," Julia said from the other car, smiling when her sister looked surprised.

"Yeah it's more fun," Eliza added. "Are you happy we came here now?"

"Very, but you're missing the ride kiddo," Martha said, smiling as the little girl beamed back at her before she sat back down. She looked around at what they were passing before her oldest granddaughter touched her shoulder.

"Let me take her out, you can put the carrier next to you," Alexis said.

"Alright," Martha said as she'd been holding that on her lap and it was uncomfortable. She smiled as she watched the young woman getting the baby and murmuring to Josie lovingly. She then looked up at the girls were pointing out the gift shop that they could see into from the cars. "This is a good idea," she then said.

"Are you tired?" Alexis asked her.

"Oh no," Martha said. "But this is good for the girls of course."

Alexis laughed and nodded before she saw they were coming up to another building and from what she could make out it had a sign that said _Space Mountain_. "Here's where Dad and your mom are," she said to the girls.

"I wonder where they are now," Julia said before they were in the building. She wasn't surprised when her little sister grabbed her arm and said, "It's okay, that's what the ride is like, really dark."

Eliza nodded before they could see a space scene next to them and she went over to her grandfather as it was dark again and was for nearly a minute before she could see the sun again. She was glad when the next building they went to wasn't fully dark, seeing a scene of a woman with her head covered by a machine. "Is that for her hair?" she asked Jim.

"I think so," he replied before he heard both girls gasping at what they were looking into next.

"That's the Buzz Lightyear ride!" Julia said as she realized the space monsters had some symbols on them she knew were targets. "Gram you gotta go on that too, you never went!"

"I'm sure we will," Martha said.

There wasn't much left of the ride before they were arriving at the loading station and while they were walking off Julia whispered to Eliza, "I hope Mom and Dad go to kiss." She smiled when her sister nodded, and she held her hand as they went back to Josie's stroller so they could go to the exit of Space Mountain to see if their parents had had fun on their ride.

* * *

Her hand running over the back of her husband's head Beckett murmured, "Do you think the girls were thinking about us doing this?"

"Or they wanted us to," Castle replied, pulling away from her neck that he'd been lightly nibbling on for a bit. After they'd gone on the ride they'd spotted the alcove a little away from the people leaving the building and he'd pulled her there, desperate to get the chance to kiss her. " _I was having a hard time_ ," he told her in Irish.

Beckett smiled and nuzzled her lips against his gently before saying, " _I know but we might not get this chance again_."

" _I really could care less_ ," Castle said before he pulled her tightly against him so they could kiss again.

Doing her best to try and keep things under control, Beckett eventually ended the kiss as she knew they were risking being found. But she couldn't pull herself away from him and she murmured, " _We don't have much time_."

" _I don't think they'd mind if we stayed here_ ," Castle replied. When he saw the way she looked at him he laughed slightly and said, " _Either way we need to find them_?"

" _We do_ ," Beckett replied. " _Hold on though_ ," she then said quickly before she leaned into him and they shared a brief kiss until they let go of each other but were holding hands. "There they are," she said as she soon after spotted their family.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Eliza cried out eagerly as she ran towards them. "Did you have fun? Did you sit in the front?"

"You sit by yourself," Castle answered, picking her up. "But I was in the front and your mom behind me."

"It was fun," Beckett said, her arm around Josie by then. "How was yours?"

"We went in the dark, but we got to see a lot of pretty things outside," Eliza said. "What about now?" she then asked almost breathlessly.

"I think we're going to take your sisters onto the ride," Castle said, gesturing back to the exit. "Will one of you take her on Buzz Lightyear?"

"Gram!" Eliza said eagerly.

"Alright," Martha said slightly laughingly. "After that what about the Carousel of Progress?"

"We'll meet in line for it," Beckett said before she was taking Julia's hand and they made their way through the exit. She wasn't surprised when her daughter was talking excitedly to her about the ride; though she hadn't been on that version yet; squeezing her to her gently as her excitement was hard to resist.


	4. Every Mile Of Railroad Track (Part 2)

"Mom."

"What?"

"I feel like a baby," Julia said in obvious embarrassment as her mother fed her the dessert.

"You're not, I just don't want you to spill on your shirt," Beckett told her with a smile. It was the middle of the afternoon and they had finished with Tomorrowland, completing all the rides. "Here, now that we've finished the top," she said, handing Julia the spoon the girl was using to eat their pineapple float they were having in Adventureland. "What about after this, we still have a long time until dinner," she said to everyone else.

"I had an idea," Castle said. When he saw his daughters were looking at him he laughed and said, "It's a good one. What if we go the opposite way this time, back to Tomorrowland and then around to Frontierland again?"

"What about all of us picking a favorite ride and going on that?" Julia asked. "Those," she then corrected herself rapidly as she knew she'd made a mistake.

"Well…" Castle said slowly.

"What did you have in mind for dinner Richard?" Martha asked her son.

"It's not what he has in mind," Beckett said with a slight smile at her husband. "It's what he's set up already."

Castle laughed shortly when the girls started asking what they were going to have for dinner and said, "It's nothing special, The Plaza Restaurant."

"Where's that?" Eliza asked interestedly.

"Main Street," Castle replied. "We never really do anything there and I thought it'd be fun."

"I wanna see it," Eliza said firmly.

"I would too," Jim said. He then told his daughter, "It reminds me of your great-grandfather."

"What about him?" Julia asked interestedly.

"He grew up in Yonkers and it was a lot like Main Street," Jim replied.

"So… like _Hello Dolly_?" Julia said.

"A little like that," Jim said with a slight laugh. "With less singing though."

"Our reservation is in three hours," Castle said, checking his watch as he allowed Eliza to drink the pineapple juice that was left of their float. "And that gives us enough time for the rides, so we should get a list ready," he said, expecting them to tell him that they didn't need a list. But before anyone else could say something to what he had said, Eliza was suddenly exclaiming her choice eagerly.

"I wanna go on the dwarves ride!" the little girl said, pineapple juice dripping down her chin.

"Then we'll head there first," Castle said with a laugh as he started to wipe her mouth and chin.

"Are you going to go in order of age?" Martha asked.

"To choose but if two of the choices are close together we'll stay in the area," Beckett replied. "And you don't need to worry about Eliza for your pick." She smiled when her mother in law nodded and then turned with the others to Julia for her choice.

"I want to go on Space Mountain again," the girl said slowly, looking at her mother.

"I'll take Eliza on another ride," Jim said quickly. "Or you can," he said to Castle's mother.

"We'll see what she picks," Martha said with a smile. "I suppose it's your turn Alexis."

"Should we ask Josa what she'd like to do?" the young woman asked. When her little sisters giggled she said, "I'd like to go on Splash Mountain again."

"I'll say Thunder Mountain… a lot of mountains," Beckett said, smiling at the girls when they giggled. "Let's start walking to Fantasyland," she told everyone since they'd finished their desserts. "That way we can get started. But your turn Rick."

"The Haunted Mansion," Castle said with a smile.

"The Speedway is fine," Martha said when her son looked at her. "I do want to go there," she said when she then saw him and her daughter in law exchange a look. "Just let me take Julia this time."

"Of course, Dad?" Beckett said, looking at him.

"I'm not sure if it'll still be daylight but I'd like us all to go on the PeopleMover," Jim said carefully. He smiled when the girls assured him immediately they wanted to go on that he said, "It's long and there isn't all that much to it."

"I'd like to go on it again," Castle said.

"We'll go Dad," Beckett said. "And Rick said three hours; sunset isn't for another two hours after that."

"Good," Jim said, picking up Eliza as she rushed to him and they walked through the rest of Adventureland to reach the Seven Dwarves ride in Fantasyland. When they had reached the exit he said to Martha, "I think it's your turn to ride this."

"I think so," she replied as she was taking the little girl when Eliza leaned over to her.

"She shouldn't need anything Dad," Beckett said, checking on Josie who was awake after having napped.

"If she does I know where everything is," Jim said with a smile. "Have fun," he told her before watching the group of them heading through the exit. "They'll have fun," he told the baby as she was looking up at him with wide eyes. He tickled her neck before he went to the nearest open bench and sat down, taking the baby out of the carrier and holding her tight to him as he told her about the rides he knew she would love when she grew up as she cooed to him.

* * *

Screaming as there was a drop Julia heard her mother laughing behind her before they were turning rapidly again. She was a little dizzy before they came to the tunnel where their picture was taken, and she looked behind her at her family, waving to her sister directly behind her before they were slowing down. Getting out of the car they were in for Space Mountain she said, "What's next? We went all out of order." She then saw that her mother was laughing and she asked, "What?"

"Shouldn't you be talking about the ride we were just on?" Beckett asked her as Julia hurried to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Yeah but I always do," Julia said, giggling. She then hugged her mother tightly and said, "But really, what's next. We went on Lizzy's ride, Dad's… 'lexis?"

"We are," Castle said. "And then your mom's."

"What? I agree, let's go," Alexis said since her dad was looking at her. She looked ahead of them at hearing a baby crying and she said, "Is-"

"Not her," Castle said quickly when he saw his mother and Beckett's father where standing together, the latter holding the baby who was fine.

"Do you recognize her cry?" Alexis asked the two.

"We do… don't ask us how we just do," Beckett said with a smile. "So we're heading over to Frontierland."

"Your rides?" Jim asked.

"Kate," Castle said, "I just realized, the PeopleMover."

"Oh… sorry Dad," Beckett said.

"Didn't you go in order at Disneyland?" Jim asked as they were making their way over to the ride.

"We did but we'd like to go with Josie," Beckett said as she'd taken the baby from him by then. She kissed her temple and nuzzled it before she let Castle cup the back of her head. "After this we can go over to the Speedway and get Alexis' ride and mine," she said a little absently.

"Who is Josa gonna be with?" Eliza asked from her grandfather's arms.

"Us," Beckett said. "I hope you don't mind; your grandparents can take you two," she said before she looked at Alexis.

"I'll drive on my own," the young woman said with a smile, parking the stroller before they made their way up to the second-floor loading station.

Sitting with their two daughters in the front car; though they'd tried to get Alexis with them; Castle and Beckett listened to their daughters while the former was holding the baby and rubbing her back gently. Julia and Eliza did their best as tour guides, pointing out everything they'd seen until they were back at the beginning. Going to the Speedway nearby, the couple said goodbye to the others and sat together on a bench as close as they could get to seeing the ride, quiet as they were watching their baby kicking her legs slightly in the carrier and enjoying the chance to rest as they still had more of their busy day to go.

* * *

Laughing as she was splashed heavily at the last drop, Eliza said to her sister, "That's a lot of fun."

"I know," Alexis said, squeezing her hand. "I'm so glad you like this ride because I love it."

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head. She then leaned over and whispered, "I'm hungry 'lexis."  
"I know but that's the last ride for now and we can go eat," Alexis replied before she picked up her sister to help her out of the boat. She carried her while they walked with their parents and sister before she asked the former, "Are Jim and Gram going to keep going?" since the two had stayed with Josie.

"I'm not sure," Castle said. "It's been a lot of walking of course, but they will need to take Josie… I mean one of them at least needs to get her to the hotel."  
"Let them decide Rick," Beckett said.

"Will do," Castle said. When his wife glanced at him he squeezed her hand before they continued the rest of the way out of the ride to rejoin their parents. When they got to them he was a little startled to find that neither one was there where they'd left them, the stroller parked with the others.

"Where did they go?" Eliza asked.

"There, I get the feeling Josie needed to be changed," Beckett said as she quickly spotted her father and Martha hurrying to them. She waved and then murmured to her husband, "There was a family bathroom there right?"

"If he went with her then yes," Castle said. "Nice of him to do."  
"You know he would want to help," Beckett said with a smile before she walked over to her mother in law. "She's okay now?"

"She is, she put up a fuss though," Martha replied, smiling at the baby.

"Flashbacks?" Castle asked her as they had all joined them.

"Yes," Martha said simply, smiling at him.

"Grandpapa," Eliza said in a rush then. "Grandpapa, Gram guess what? I sat in the front with 'lexis and I didn't get scared!"

Picking up the little girl Jim said, "And it looks like you got wet too."

"You don't have to carry her Dad," Beckett said while she was setting the carrier on the stroller.

"It's okay," Jim replied. "Are we heading to dinner?"

"We are," Castle said as he was handing Eliza her hat. "Should I wear mine love?" he asked his wife.

"You can if you want to," Beckett said in amusement, letting him take the stroller.

"For dinner I'll be polite and take off my hat," Castle said, reaching to her and cupping the back of her head as she just stared at him.

" _Níorbh fhéidir leat cabhrú leat féin_?" Beckett said, asking him that he couldn't help himself and finishing with the words could he.

Shaking his head simply Castle said, " _Níos déanaí anocht_ …"

Looking at the others quickly, as he'd said later tonight, Beckett said softly, still speaking in Irish, " _I've been wondering if we might wait to be together until_ …"

"D.C.?" Castle asked, keeping his voice low.

" _Not stop if we have the energy or chance but for now with the parks_ …" Beckett started.

Nodding his head Castle said, " _We're supposed to be spending time with our family here, and our friends, so I agree we should. You don't mind I did that_."

Smiling, as she knew he was referencing touching her hair, Beckett said, " _No but take it easy_."

"Yep," Castle said, going back to English. They'd been walking along the Rivers of America, watching the steamboat going by and he then said to everyone, "Want to go on that after dinner?"

"And then to Fantasyland Daddy?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Maybe the other way around," Castle said. "Don't say it," he said as his oldest was opening her mouth to speak.

Frowning at him Alexis said, "I was going to tell you I'll take them on Small World; since you're being a baby about it."

"Rick be nice," Beckett told her husband, though she'd spoken it teasingly. She wasn't surprised when he kissed her cheek and she squeezed his arm before he went to Eliza who'd stopped walking. "And we'll go on that ride; all together."

"Is there any reason why you waited to go on that?" Martha asked, walking over to her daughter in law as they went by the Liberty Bell in Liberty Square to go down to Main Street.

"I thought it would be nice for after dinner," Beckett said as they were passing the colonial structures. "I forgot about the boat; but those will mean we've been on everything. Well… except for you and my dad," she said with a smile at her mother in law.

"We don't need to… and I get the feeling tomorrow we'll have the chance," Martha told her.

Beckett smiled and said, "I think the girls will make sure you both do," nodding over to them as the two were listening.

"Of course," Martha said with a slight laugh.

Going past the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey, Julia said to her father, "Dad?"

"We're almost there," Castle said reassuringly.

"No, not that Dad," Julia said, trying not to sound exasperated. "Where's Star Tours; you said they have it."

"They do," Castle told her. "But it's not in this park, it's the Hollywood Studios one."

"That'll be fun," Julia said with a smile. "When are we gonna go?"

"Soon but you should know they don't have that much at the park," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Hold on Rick," Beckett said with a smile. "We're here."

"Oh, right," Castle said, looking ahead of them. He then moved to the front of their group so he could give their name to the hostess and they were led inside before they went to three tables pushed together. He attached Josie's carrier to the chair they were given and he said, "Hopefully we'll enjoy it," before they began to look at the menus.

"Rick," Beckett told her husband.

"What?" Castle asked.

"You're squinting," Beckett replied as she turned to her purse that was on the empty chair on the other side of Josie. She pulled his glasses out from the middle compartment and handed them over, slipping the case back in, before she said, "You forgot them at lunch."

"I knew what I wanted," Castle said, though he'd been able to see since they'd been standing close enough to the menu for him to read it. He slipped on his frames and read the food items before he heard his father in law saying his name.

"I don't think you need to worry about the food," Jim said with a smile.

"Or the décor; it's as if we are in a stage version of _Hello Dolly_ ," Martha commented.

"Are you going to start singing Gram?" Alexis asked her.

"Another time," Martha said as Eliza was getting her attention.

"What're you getting love?" Castle asked his wife eventually.

"I think the meatloaf," Beckett said with a smile.

"Me too," Castle replied. "What about Julia though?"

"I'm gonna get the Rueben," the girl said, sitting on the other side of Castle.

"Sounds good," he said, putting his hand on top of her Mickey hat. "Mother?"

"Should we just go around and say?" Martha asked. When her son nodded she smiled and said, "The meatloaf."

"I am too," Jim said quickly. "Something nostalgic about it," he said, seeing her nod.

"I'm getting something slightly different," Alexis said as her sisters quickly looked at her. "The brisket mac and cheese."

"I wanna try!" Eliza said with a gasp.

"Please, I get the feeling it'll be a huge serving," Alexis said with a smile. "And that goes for everyone because I don't mind sharing."

"What did Eliza pick?" Beckett asked her mother in law and father since the little girl was sitting in between them.

"The grilled cheese," Martha answered.

"Can I have dessert?" Eliza asked.

"We're going to have something else," Beckett replied with a smile. "But we'll walk a little bit before that okay?"

"Yeah," Julia said quickly. "What about the Hollywood park?"

Beckett wasn't surprised her daughter was asking about that, but she was kept from talking about it yet again since they needed to order. When they were alone she told her, "Since there's so little we're thinking of spending from opening to about two or three; if even that because there really isn't that much. Now we can do three things, go to Epcot or here again or go to the water parks. We have to decide all together as we'll be with everyone else remember, but we will vote on it." She wasn't surprised when the girls shared a look and she glanced at her husband with a smile before Julia was speaking first.

"We want to come back here," the girl said firmly. Julia then asked, "It has the most rides, right?"

"I think it does," Castle said with a nod.

"Yeah, we want to come back here," Eliza said, nodding her head firmly.

"If the children decide I think we will be," Martha said in amusement.

"They likely will," Beckett replied, smiling herself. "And we've talked about this with the parents already and we're all ready to come back."

"Even though we told them we didn't need to stay together," Castle said. "But we'll split up again of course."

"How many rides are we gonna go on after?" Eliza asked.

"That depends on how things go," Castle said vaguely as he and Beckett would be watching their middle daughter to see when she appeared to be ready to go to bed. At that point they would send the little girl with the baby and one or both of their parents to their hotel and continue with Julia until the park was closed. Luckily the girls couldn't protest his answer as their food was being brought out and they were busy with beginning their meals. "Are you giving her a piece?" he asked his wife.

"You're next to her," Beckett said in mock exasperation. "Sweetie give me your fork."

"But Dad-" Julia started to say before her mother took her fork and got some of her potatoes. "Thanks," she said.

By then they had taken a few bites of their food and sampled the other dishes except for the girls' sandwiches and the others complimented Castle on his choice. He smiled when Julia hugged him tightly with one arm before going back to their food. Though he couldn't help but be pleased he turned his attention to the girls asking the three of them which ride they'd liked the most after the many they'd gone on as their meal continued.

* * *

"That was dessert?" Eliza asked her mother.

"It is, I know it's not sweet but at least we can still go on rides," Beckett said. It was almost a quarter to nine and they had had some popcorn earlier for dessert though she wasn't surprised the little girl was asking about it.

"I want a churro," Eliza said. "Please?"

"I don't think so sweetie," Beckett replied.

"But I want one, just one Mommy," Eliza said.

"Hey," Castle said, having heard the little girl's demand. "Come on we can go onto another ride-"

"No! I want it," Eliza said angrily, stomping her foot. When her father frowned at her and she heard her mother sigh her chin wobbled before she burst into tears and would have fallen to the ground if she hadn't been picked up.

"Shh, it's alright sweetheart," Castle said, rubbing her back before Beckett joined him in that. "You're very tired aren't you?" When she just nodded, sobbing, he pressed his lips to her temple murmuring to her as he looked to his wife.

"Do you think you can do something for us Eliza?" Beckett asked. She waited for the little girl to turn her head to look at her and she said with a smile, "Your grandparents are going to head back," including both as her father and mother in law had motioned to her which she knew meant they wanted to take them back. "But I want one of Josie's sisters with her."

"Oh… me?" Eliza whispered, stopping crying by then and rubbing her wet left cheek.

"That would be nice," Castle said, reaching up and gently thumbing her tears.

"I can go… I'm sorry," Eliza said. She smiled when her parents kissed her at the same time; telling her they loved her; before she said, "I love you Mommy, Daddy. I hafta go to bed?"

"You do but your little sister will be with you," Beckett assured her. "And you'll be with your grandpapa and gram."

Nodding, Eliza squeezed Julia's hand saying, "Go on fun rides."

"I will," the girl replied, nodding her head. "Love you sis."

"Love you Jules," Eliza said with a smile. She took Alexis' kiss and said, "You too 'lexis, love you."

"Love you too Lizzy," Alexis replied. "And we'll get to go on these rides again tomorrow." She could tell the little girl was exhausted when she merely smiled, and she stepped back to watch their father give Eliza to Jim. Since Josie was already asleep; and had been for a while; she and Julia said goodbye to the four as they started to head toward the entrance to go back to the Monorail. When they were out of sight she said, "So we have two hours?"

"And fifteen minutes," Castle said. "So, Julia?"

"Thunder Mountain?" she said after thinking for a moment. She smiled when her sister took her hand and they walked ahead of their parents to the ride. "Did I ever do that?" she asked as they were nearly through Adventureland.

"You did, not all the time but when you were tired you would," Beckett said as she and Castle caught up to the girls who'd stopped for them. "That was normal, and it was a very long day for her."  
"I liked the market where we got the apples," Julia said suddenly.

"That was nice," Castle said with a smile. "Nice burst of energy."

"I'm not tired," Julia said quickly, narrowing her eyes at her though she was smiling soon after. She hurried to him and wrapped her arms around him asking, "Can I ride with you?"

"Of course," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her. "We get the last row, right?" he asked his wife and Alexis.

"Yes," Beckett said in amusement. They reached the ride and went through the exit, she and Alexis in front of Castle and Julia. Her stepdaughter asking for the last two rows she squeezed her arm and leaned forward to murmur into her ear, "Want to confuse him?"

Alexis was surprised but she nodded and then listened to Beckett for a while until they were moving to get into their row for the train. Once they were sitting she waited for the train to start to move and she glanced at her stepmother before Beckett nodded at her and they started letting out shrieks together.

"Guys?" Castle asked before the train started to speed up. When the two looked back at him with smiles he made a face at them both; while Julia giggled next to him; before the girl was crying out as they reached the incline. "Why does everyone target me?" he said with a sniff to the girl next to him.

"Because it's funny," Julia said. "And they love you still."

"We do Dad," Alexis said, looking back at him again but needing to speak quickly as they were getting to the top.

Castle smiled at his wife before they were going down the track, yelling as they were banking and dropping over small hills and came to another incline. "When we come tomorrow," he said, having to almost shout over the sound of the chain clicking. "Save one ride for me."

"Okay, at night?" Julia asked him.

"Of course," Castle replied before they were going over the side again.

Trying to hold up her arms Beckett found she was nearly hitting her stepdaughter's head every time they banked to the left. But they had finally reached the last incline and she asked the young woman with a laugh, "You're still conscious?"

"Unless you were trying to, you haven't hit me," Alexis replied, laughing slightly herself. She had wanted to ask her something, but they were at the top again and going over the rest of the track until they had finished the ride. As they were leaving the exit she said, "What's next Jules?"

"You guys can pick," the girl said. The three adults just looked at her and Julia gave a playful frown before she said, "Okay, Haunted Mansion. And I'm riding with 'lexis."

"Let's go," Beckett said, letting Julia take her hand before they walked back around the Rivers of America.

"Can I tell them," Castle called to his wife.

"Might as well since you basically let it slip," Beckett said wryly.

"Are we eating dinner there tomorrow?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "He made reservations for all of us."

"Cool," Julia said, looking quickly at the sign for the restaurant that said _Liberty Tree Tavern_. She had noticed it earlier as they'd looked around Liberty Square and had been interested but been too focused on going to the next ride. "After I want to go to Tomorrowland," she told her mother.

"Not the Seven Dwarves ride?" Beckett asked, squeezing her hand. When they reached the ride, she let her go so she and Alexis could go through the line together since the wait time was low. After they were on their doom buggy she said to her husband, "She never answered me."

"I think she's trying to be fair to her sister," Castle replied.

"We'll talk to her after," Beckett said before the car was turning to look at the shifting paintings. They remained quiet over the ride, listening to their daughters ahead of them talking and joking together until they were walking off.

"Julia," Castle said. "Come here," he told the girl when she looked at him at his call. When she was walking next to him he wrapped his arm around her and said, "You want to go on the Dwarves ride don't you?"

"I do but…" Julia said, pausing then. "Can we go on the carousel?"

"Of course," Beckett said quickly before they hurried to get into the line as people were getting on the horses. She made sure Julia had the strap around her once she was on her horse before she got on the one in between her oldest and Castle. "Don't say it," she told him.

"Who said I was going to say anything?" he replied. When she rolled her eyes, he smiled before they started to go around, he leaned over to see Alexis when something came to him and he hurried to grab his phone.

"A selfie Dad?" Alexis said when she saw him holding it up.

"Yep," Castle replied. "Smile everyone!" Hoping that they were; as he couldn't see very far past himself on the edge of the screen; he took the picture before focusing on the rest of the ride around until they were stopping. He went to Julia and said, "You don't need to stop riding just because you're eleven."

"Almost eleven and a half," the girl replied, taking his hand.

"Almost," Castle said with a nod. "But yeah, any ride you want to go on in this land you can."

"The Dwarves one," Julia said immediately, smiling up at him.

"Okay," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she squeezed his hand and then let go, watching her go over to her mother.

"I can go with you right?" Julia said.

"Of course, that you don't need to ask," Beckett assured her.

"What about for the slow rides?" Julia asked archly.

"Julia," Beckett said warningly though she didn't put much into that. She smiled when her daughter laughed and leaned against her before she wrapped her arm around her and they walked to the ride, heading for the exit as there was still a line for that one. While they waited for their turn to get the last two rows she hugged Julia close before her daughter was turning to her and wrapping both her arms around her. At the gesture she prepared herself, waiting for the question she knew was coming and hoping it didn't involve dessert.

"Can we go on the tea cups?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Beckett said.

"Will we make it to Tomorrowland?" Julia said.

"We will, I'm just not sure how much we can go on," Castle said before they were getting onto the train that had pulled up to the station. "Don't scream this time," he told his daughter before they got into their seats.

"I wasn't going to," Alexis said with a laugh. "That's a one-time thing."

"And you'll be with Louis tomorrow," Beckett said from behind them.

"Aren't we staying together?" Alexis asked in surprise. But the ride was starting so she turned her attention to the track as they were flying over it, smiling when Julia cried out in joy behind them. Once they were finished and walking to the next ride she repeated her question, looking at her father and stepmother.

"We don't really have to," Beckett said. "We'll let you and Louis go if you'd like to, and probably everyone ten and older."

"But the twins-" Julia started to say.

"Including Marie and Kath since they're almost ten," Beckett interrupted her with a smile.

"Really?" Alexis asked.

"If they stay with Eve and Jake it'll be fine," Castle said. "And if all of them go that's seven of them. Plus, they all have phones and they'll be told not to talk to strangers and ask a cast member if they need help."

"We'll be good," Julia said immediately.

"And we'll call you occasionally," Beckett added as they got into line for the Mad Tea Party.

"Yeah, we'll answer unless we're on a ride," Julia said.

"It's why you'll text your mom that you're going onto a ride," Castle said.

"Every time?" Julia asked.

"Every time," Beckett replied. "That might seem a little too much but-"

"It's okay, I know you just want us to be safe," Julia said with a shrug. "There are a lot of people here and everything."

"We'll decide for sure tomorrow," Castle said quickly as the short line was moving since people were being let on for the next ride. "Depends on what Skye and Mary and Brad-"

"We got it love; all the parents," Beckett told her husband in amusement. "Pick which tea cup we'll go in Julia."

Nodding, the girl hurried over to them and got into a blue and white one before she turned to her family with a smile. "Can we go super fast?" Julia asked.

"Not that fast," Beckett said, seeing that her husband was about to answer. She couldn't help smiling when he was about to speak just as the ride was starting. But when she saw he and Alexis were putting their hands on the wheel in between them she prepared herself for the need to calm them down while they began to turn.

Julia cried out and tried at first to help her dad and sister turn the cup before she realized they were doing all the work. She let them turn it as she leaned back against the side and they continued to go fast. As the spins were shorter and shorter she suddenly realized that something was wrong, and she bit at her lower lip.

"Guys, stop! Julia's going to be sick," Beckett told the two in a rush as she had seen the way the girl was looking.

Grabbing the wheel, Castle did the best he could to stop them from spinning before he managed to get them to, but they were still turning. "Julia?" he asked her, worried that she literally looked green.

"We're stopping," Beckett said as the ride ended then, wrapping her arm around the girl.

"I'll run and get her some water," Castle told his wife as he slid down to the door. Once the ride was still he opened it and shot out, not minding the shout that the cast member opening another cup gave him.

"Easy sweetie," Beckett said to Julia as she was getting out. "You're a little dizzy," she added as the girl staggered slightly.

"I don't feel good Mom," Julia said tearfully.

"I know, we overdid it," Beckett said, rubbing her back. "We'll walk slowly," she said reassuringly before they came to the gate to leave the ride's enclosure. She was relieved to find a bench nearby and she sat Julia down first before she and Alexis joined her to wait for Castle to come back to them.

Running, Castle wasn't surprised when his wife looked up at him but didn't say anything. He handed the three bottles of water that he'd bought to Alexis and grabbed his handkerchief before getting it a little wet with one bottle. "Here," he said. "Has she been sick?"

"No, she just feels sick," Beckett replied, gently mopping the girl's face.

"Does this mean I can't go on it tomorrow?" Julia asked softly.

"She's getting better," Alexis said with a smile at her little sister while their parents were laughing.

"She is," Beckett said before she leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Drink a little water," she then told her as Castle held out the open bottle.

Julia sipped at it slowly and was about to tell her mother she didn't need the handkerchief anymore when she handed it back to Castle. She smiled and then said, "I'm better now."

"Yes, but we can rest a little bit," Beckett said.

"We're running out of time though," Julia said with some protest.

"Sit with us Rick," Beckett told her husband quickly. When he was on her other side she then said, "I don't know about going on rides again."

"But I didn't tell you which ones I want to go on… so far," Julia said. "I don't know how long they'll take."

"Tell us now," Castle suggested as he was leaning over to look at her. He watched Beckett have her take another sip of water, glancing at his wife momentarily before their oldest was speaking.

"The cars like I said, then Buzz Lightyear and maybe Pirates?" Julia asked hesitantly at the end.

"That would be fine," Beckett replied. "And if you have more time?"

"Um… I don't know yet, but could we do the shooting arcade in Adventureland… Frontierland?" Julia said.

"That would be fun," Castle said.

"I don't mind doing that," Beckett replied with a slight laugh. "And we should go now." When her husband looked at her in surprise she nodded to Julia and said, "She's starting to fidget."

"Right, let's go," Castle said before they got up and then started to walk to the ride. "Want someone to go with you?" he asked when they were close to the entrance.

"No, I can drive by myself," Julia told him firmly.

"Let her," Beckett told her husband.

"Too bad we couldn't race," Julia said with a giggle as they were going through the exit as there was a line.

"I know, we'd beat Dad no problem," Alexis said, walking with her.

"Yeah," Julia said eagerly before she was giggling as their father ruffled her hair from behind. When they got to their cars she hung back as the car her mother would have taken was blue. "Sorry Mom!" she called as Beckett went past her.

Waving to her daughter, Beckett sat down in her car which was red and put on the seatbelt before she looked back at her oldest. "I don't mind," she told her. "Do you have your seatbelt on?"

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod, holding onto the steering wheel. She wasn't sure why she liked the ride so much when the cars were so slow, but she knew it was because she could drive and not have to worry about a license or being tall enough to see over the wheel. When her mother started going ahead of her she quickly started after and looked around, thrilled to be driving at night as they went down the track.

Driving behind Julia, Castle wasn't surprised to see she was still able to keep it fairly straight on the track. He smiled to himself as he continued though he couldn't help feeling a little bored since there wasn't much he needed to do. When they had reached the end of the track he got out last and went over to the three saying, "How're you doing?" to Julia when he reached her as they went up the stairs.

"I'm good, I feel better now," the girl said with a nod. "We're still gonna go on Buzz Lightyear, right?"

"We are," Beckett said with a smile. "But who's going with who?"

"Why do I have to decide?" Julia asked.

"Because we want you to," Castle said.

At first Julia was going to protest but she stopped herself and said, "Okay, I'll go with 'lexis and you and Mom can go together."

"You know we're going to be focusing on the game, right?" Castle asked.

"Yep," Julia replied, beaming widely at her father. She laughed when he tried to tickle her side and she went to Alexis, holding her hand as they went the rest of the way to the ride. As before they'd went right into the line as it wasn't that long, walking quickly together until she and her sister got into one of the cars for the ride. "Should we make a prize for the winner?" she asked.

"No," Alexis said with a laugh. "I don't think your mom would like that." She looked back at their parents and murmured, "They were kissing just now."

"Really?" Julia asked with a wide smile on her face. She looked behind them as well and saw that her parents were leaning into each other and she could tell they had been as well, just from their body language. She was tapped on the shoulder by her sister and turned back around as they could begin shooting their laser guns at the targets. She almost forgot about the joystick in the middle of the console but when she glanced at it she then started to turn the car back and forth, laughing when her sister started to protest.

"That's not fair Jules," Alexis said though she was laughing so hard she couldn't really put much effort into being annoyed at her.

"Keep shooting, I'll stop," Julia said before she let go of the joystick once the car was facing straight again.

"Don't," Beckett said as her husband suddenly started to spin the car. She laughed at him before she told him, "Now I'm going to get sick."

"If Julia isn't…" Castle said jokingly before he set the car back. They then focused their attention on the game until they came to the end and waiting to get off he said, "You won… by three points."

"I see," Beckett said with a laugh. She squeezed his hand before they went together onto the moving walkway, following their daughters until they were outside of the ride's building. She was about to ask how they'd done when Julia went to her and took her hand, talking eagerly.

"I got the most points!" the girl said easily.

"Great, your mom did too," Castle told her with a smile.

"Cool," Julia said with a wide smile. "We can go on Pirates, right?"

"Yes, we have enough time," Beckett told her. She checked on her watch then and said, "I think that's all we have time for."

"We'll check the time," Castle said, not surprised when the girl looked disappointed. "But you do want to still go to the arcade, right?"

"Yeah," Julia said slowly. She wasn't surprised when her mother squeezed her hand and she asked something she'd been unsure of uttering before, "What about the gift shops?"

"We'll go tomorrow," Beckett said. "Whether or not we come back after the Hollywood park."

Julia nodded before they were making their way again through Adventureland and she couldn't help a yawn that came on her suddenly. She had to admit to herself that she was tired but she looked ahead of them, growing excited seeing the familiar building of the ride. When they were finally at the loading station she was going to ask her father to ask for the front when he was doing so, and they got onto the next boat. "Thanks Dad," she said to him.

"I knew you'd want to sit here," Castle replied with a smile before they took off into the water. He looked at his wife next to him; sitting on the end as he'd boarded the boat last; and he squeezed her arm murmuring, "Tired?"

"A little," Beckett said. "But don't ruin the ride for her."

Castle was desperate to ask her if he could wrap his arm around her at least; as she was doing that with Julia; but he heard rushing water and reluctantly waited. Though he had to admit he enjoyed the drop he quickly wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, unable to take the time to ask.

Glancing at her husband, Beckett smiled at the touch as it didn't surprise her in the slightest. She turned her attention to Julia then and saw her yawning widely, squeezing her shoulder firmly before saying, "Probably better we're almost finished."

"I know," Julia said with a sigh. "But I wish I could stay awake longer."

"You will when you're older Jules," Alexis said, sitting on her sister's other side. "But do you really think you should do the shooting arcade if you're so tired."

"Yeah," Julia said. "Are you guys gonna do it too?" she then said.

"Let's wait until we get off the ride to talk about that," Beckett said, suddenly remembering the others behind them in the boat though it wasn't full.

Julia nodded and turned her attention back to the scenes they were passing before they were back where they'd started. Once they were off the boat she went to her father and took his hand saying, "What about lunch tomorrow? And then maybe dessert?"

"We'll stay all together…" Beckett started to say before she and Castle looked at Alexis.

"We'll stay with you until lunch," the young woman said. "And I'm assuming stay again after dinner?"

"I told you she was smart, right?" Castle asked his wife.

"You've mentioned it," Beckett said with a smile. "Good job deducing that. But yeah, after lunch and before dinner we'll split up since we'll have four hours before; more or less; and then however long it ends up being after dinner."

"Sounds like it'll be fun," Alexis said. "But you never answered about lunch by the way."

"That I don't know," Castle said. When his oldest daughter looked at him doubtfully he told her, "Seriously, it depends on where we are."  
"He's serious," Beckett said laughingly when her stepdaughter then looked to her. "Though he's been tempted suggesting to everyone the restaurant here in Adventureland."

"What's the name?" Julia said.

" _Jungle Navigation_ ," Castle said when Beckett and Alexis looked at him. "And it looked good, so I'll suggest but if people want to go somewhere else we'll go."  
Julia nodded before they came up to the log cabin where the shooting arcade was and she said, "Can I play twice?"

"We can play for a while," Castle said, going over to the coin machine where he went to get quarters for them to play.

"A long time," Alexis said to her sister as they watched their dad put eight dollars into the machine.

"Two dollars each, we get a lot of shots," Castle told them as he passed out the money to them. Once they were ready he went to the fake rifles in between his two daughters while Beckett was on the other side of Julia. He put his first two quarters into the machine and then began to play, doing his best with his aim before he heard the girl groaning in annoyance to his right. It made him lower his gun and then looked at Julia, about to ask if she wanted help aiming when his wife spoke to their daughter before him.

"Do you need some help?" Beckett said.

"Yeah," Julia said with a sigh. "I'm better with a bow and arrow."

"I'll help you," Castle said, setting down his rifle. He then said, "Hold it up to your shoulder like this." He waited until she had it ready and said, "Then look down it at that little triangle at the end of the barrel and that should help you aim." Not surprised when the girl looked at him in surprise he explained, "It's infrared so if you'll be accurate…" shrugging there. "But aiming like that might help you a little bit."

"Thanks," Julia said. "Should I say what I'm going to aim for first before I fire?"

"You don't have to say it," Alexis told her. "Just think it in your mind."

Nodding Julia got her rifle up to her shoulder and then aimed for a cactus that had a target it on. She cried out when the crow at the top of it started to move and caw before she turned her attention to the tombstones in front of them.

Beckett watched her daughter while she was shooting at the targets with her own rifle, smiling to herself as Julia would cry out in joy whenever an object she'd managed to hit moved. When she had gone through her two dollars she looked at the girl who'd finished by then and she said, "I'm guessing you had fun."

"A lot of fun," Julia said with a rapid nod, going over to her.

"And you're very tired too I can tell," Beckett said when her daughter had wrapped her arms around her and leaned against her.

"There are still another twenty minutes," Castle said.

Looking at her watch Beckett saw that he was right, and she said, "Well… we have time for one more ride sweetie," looking down at her daughter. She smiled as Julia; though she was so obviously tired; seemed pleased and then appeared to be thinking. She had to wonder whether the little girl would ask for a more thrilling ride or a sedate one when she spoke.

"Small World?" Julia asked with a smile on her face.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked.

"I'm kidding Dad," Julia replied. "I wanted to go on the railroad."

"We'd have to hurry to walk back to the Main Street station," Beckett said, taking her hand. She saw that Julia looked startled but since they were starting to walk quickly and soon nearly jogging.

When they had reached the station, Castle stopped abruptly as he saw the staircase leading up to the platform was blocked off. "I think we missed the last train," he said. "Sorry Julia."

"That's okay," she said. "Maybe we can look at the shops instead?"

"Just one," Beckett said. But when her husband touched her arm she asked, "You had something in mind?"

Watching as her father murmured into her mother's ear, Julia smiled when Beckett just looked at her before she asked, "Is it the candy store?"

"It is," Castle replied. "I guess another time?"

"Maybe," Beckett replied.

"Just to look," Castle assured her.

"He might get us one thing," Alexis said. She wasn't surprised when her father glanced at her and she told him, "Well it's true."

"Let's go to the store before that closes," Castle said, and they headed to the larger of the stores near the station. When they stepped inside he watched Julia go with Alexis before his wife was touching his arm to get his attention.

"We can go but only one thing please," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband nodded rapidly and said, "And nothing tonight; I don't want Eliza to see her sister getting something while she was asleep."

"Then she'll just look now," Castle said before he took her hand.

Walking after their daughters, Castle and Beckett looked at the things that Julia was interested in before an announcement through the store said that the park was closing in five minutes. As soon as they heard that they got the girls before they left and headed over to the Monorail station outside so they could go back to the hotel.

"Tired?" Castle asked once they were going down the track in the car they'd managed to catch.

"Yeah," Julia sighed, leaning against her mother and wrapping her arm around her.

Alexis smiled at her sister, looking at her around their parents, before she sat back next to her father and got her phone to text Louis and check where he was exactly. They were all quiet during the ride back and she stayed on her phone, telling her boyfriend about her family's mention of splitting up again the next day. But after he had told her he was looking forward to that she merely checked her e-mails until they stopped at the hotel.

"Here," Castle said when he stood up and found that his wife couldn't since Julia was asleep. He picked up their oldest and placed her on his hip, inadvertently waking her up.

"Daddy?" Julia asked sleepily.

"It's okay, go back to sleep," Castle told her reassuringly. When she relaxed again he took Beckett's hand and with Alexis they left the Monorail to step into the hotel.

On their way back to the room the girls were sharing with Martha and her father, Beckett wrapped her arm around her husband's and murmured, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle told her. He squeezed her hand that slipped into his then and they walked through the lobby with their daughters, already thinking of the next day at the same park. He was eager to go through all the rides again, especially with his wife and their family and since they had the addition of their friends as well he squeezed Beckett's hand again. He couldn't help thinking he was very pleased with the trip so far, knowing it could only get better as they went through the resorts with their group all together.


	5. Like A Child In Wild Anticipation

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: It was great to read the feedback I was able to get for the last chapter, so I'll go straight to my thank yous for that. MsNYC (Yeah, I figured I would list everyone's houses and put Castle, Beckett and the girls in the same ones they were. But the others I hadn't all mentioned before but that sometimes happens when you retake the test on the site. And I had to laugh at the way you said it wouldn't be a trip if Beckett didn't touch a horse. Though you make a point and you are right that they do seem to find her. Great you enjoy the way Eliza says aminals. And I'm happy of course to see you liked the first half of the chapter. Nice that you thought it was great writing as usual too! I was laughing again when you said Beckett feeding Julia that bit of the ice cream was totally a baby move, though you are right. Interesting you grew up in Yonkers and the Bronx yourself. And yeah, I've seen small kids doing what Eliza did, though not surprised you were a bit shocked since I don't usually have her doing that. I figured since there was so much that day that would end up happening. Great that you get tickled when Castle will start rambling and Beckett will cut him off with a shorter answer since I enjoy writing that, lol. So happy you enjoyed the whole start of this story. And of course, I'm pleased to see that you thought it was great writing as usual! It was nice to read the end of the second half reminded you of when it was just Alexis and Julia were there and Castle and Beckett were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship as you said, I got that vibe too writing it which was fun),

TORONTOSUN (I was happy reading that you thought it was great writing in the first half. And really nice that you like how they were having fun in the second half!),

Mb (Glad you enjoyed the houses that they got and some different ones, I had fun doing that, lol. Not surprised you're jealous of the vacation again but now I'm jealous of you, lol, since I would love to go to Disney World myself but probably won't have the opportunity. It's why I'm jealous of this vacation as well, lol. Great you love how the girls want to make sure they go on rides with Martha too, I figured they would want her to get involved, lol. And I'm pleased you can fell how happy, excited and relaxed they are together because I want them to come off as being that. Happy that you thought it was sweet! And you're welcome for the first half! I was glad that you thought the second half was a sweet and fun chapter to read with going through the parks and different rides together. Not surprised you could feel for Eliza and the little meltdown she had since you've been through that with your kids and if you said you can channel your inner 5-year-old I suppose you as well, lol. And I will in fact have them going to Universal, lol, I must since they're all sorted now and ready to get robes, lol. Nice to see you thought it was fantastic. You're welcome for the second half of the chapter too!) and

vetgirlmx (I'm happy to see, so soon into this story, that you're very pleased with the trip so far. And I'm glad you're loving how they're handling it too. And I figured if I had them split up then together it would be fun. So I'm glad you're eager for them going on the rides together. I know exactly what you mean about their trips in the Disney parks being different since of course circumstances are different with the number of them there and the kids' ages and that dictates how I write it. And hey I never get tired of going to one Disney resort- the only one I can get to- and I've been going since I was a little kid. I agree with you fully, it's too much fun whatever resort you go to, lol. I've already thought about writing them going back when Josie gets older, which should be fun, lol. But yeah, I don't think they'll mind it either. With regards to Small World I recently have been watching videos on the history of Disney's rides and the lyrics for this song were spoken; not sung; at the end of one and if you look at it that way it's not so annoying. So I'm trying to tone it down with that though I know when I go back on that ride that song'll get stuck in my head, lol. But I did have to laugh when you mentioned that, lol. I wasn't surprised that you mentioned the characters and my lack of mentioning them meeting them and autographs. I don't know why but I don't quite see them getting the autographs, but they will meet some characters in the future. And yeah, they will get excited about some characters. Great you're loving their vacation so far and so happy to see you're ready to read more and that you can't wait. And now you don't need to anymore for that!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Sentimental Journey_ written by Bud Green, the version I've taken from is sung by Ringo Starr from his album with the same title as the song.

Like A Child In Wild Anticipation

"I wonder how we're gonna pick the first ride," Julia said to her friend.

"Maybe it's gonna be a slow one because we have the babies with us," Mari said before they were going into the park.

When they were past the entrance gate Castle said to the other adults, "What exactly are we going to do until lunch?"

"Isn't the idea to go on rides?" Brennan asked him.

"Sure," Castle said, rolling his eyes though he was smiling at the same time. "But how will we go around?"

"And are the kids going to be bored going on these same rides again?" Rebecca asked. She laughed when the kids all protested vocally before she said, "Then why don't we ask them how we should go?"

"What if we went to Tomorrowland and went around that way?" Eve suggested. "But I don't know what we'll do when we get to Fantasyland."

"Some of those rides you can go on before lunch you know," Beckett said. "But I just realized you guys will need to go on those rides after lunch so you won't get sick."

"How do you know we wouldn't go on the slower rides too?" Jacob asked.

Laughing, Brad placed his hand on his son's shoulder and said, "You guys are all old enough for all the thrill rides now so of course that's where you'll go. For now though what's first in Tomorrowland?"

"We can start at the beginning," Iris said shyly.

"She's right," Julia said quickly.

"Then we'll head to the Stitch ride first," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when the kids said no before she said, "Buzz Lightyear?"

When the kids agreed to that the group went together over to the ride where they left Josie and Sophie with Jim and Martha at a bench outside. There was no line at all, so they were all quickly in their cars before they were starting to play the game, firing their laser guns at the target to see who would win.

"Should we keep track of it and then go over and over?" Mari asked Julia as they'd ridden together.

"I don't think so," Julia said. "But you won."

"Yep, you have to get to the joystick first," Mari teased her as they'd teased each other turning their car repeatedly.

Julia nodded at her friend before they got out of the cars and walked rapidly to get off the moving walkway. Once they were off and out of the building she said to her mother as she walked up to her with Eliza, "Can we skip Space Mountain?"

"Why?" Beckett asked, startled at the question.

"Wait… sorry," Julia said, remembering the others with them.

"You guys want to wait until you're alone to go?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"I do," Julia said.

"Me too," Mari said rapidly.

"Hey," Beckett said once they were all grouped together. "Julia and Mari would like to wait to go on Space Mountain."

"What do we go on now?" Erin asked.

"What about the Astro Orbiter?" Julia asked, pointing to the tall structure that was nearby.

"We'll stay with Sophie," Lily said when the kids had agreed. "We can stay with Josie too if you'd like us to."  
"I'll sit this one out," Clara commented. "Twice yesterday was fine."

Listening to a few of the other parents saying they would stay off, Beckett said to her friend, "Thank you for the offer but Martha will watch her."

Lily nodded and then went over to a bench with Castle's mother and checking on her daughter she asked, "How was it for you yesterday?"

"Everyone was making sure I went on rides as well," Martha said with a smile. "What about you and Brad?"

"The kids let us take turns, so we went several times on rides," Lily said. She heard her two oldest calling to her before she looked over and waved as they were in their rocket ship cars, waiting for the ride to start.

"Wave to your grandpapa," Beckett told Eliza who was sitting in front of her.

"Hi!" the little girl said, peering down at him as he had her mother's camera. Eliza cried out when the ride began, and she waved to Jim a second time before they were beginning to go around. She grabbed the lever in front of her and pulled back on it before they raised up in the air. She almost started to go up and down when her mother stopped her, and she giggled saying, "I'm the pilot."

"I know sweetie but let's not go too fast," Beckett said, kissing her temple gently. She wasn't surprised when they were going up and down though far more slowly than she knew the little girl was planning. She looked behind them at Castle and Julia, waving to her husband though their oldest was doing the same.

"I'm surprised you're not swooping up and down," Castle told the girl.

Laughing Julia brought their rocket ship down carefully and then said, "I want to be a good pilot; look at Marie."

"I know," Castle replied since the little girl was with Skye and controlling the car carefully. He then looked down and when he saw his father in law was still taking pictures and he said, "Look over the side; but not too far."

Julia was surprised but did as her father said and saw her grandfather, waving to him before she straightened up as the rocket ship was starting to lower when the ride slowed down. As soon as she was out of it she hurried to Jim and asked, "Did you get pictures the whole time?"

"I did," Beckett's father said. Handing the camera back to his daughter Jim said, "Hopefully they'll be good."

"I'm sure they will," Beckett replied, knowing he would have used the right setting. "Okay, what's next?"

"How much longer until the hour is over?" Julia asked her parents.

"About twenty minutes," Castle said.

"Great, thanks!" Julia said, racing over to the other kids, taking her sister's hand and trying not to run. "What do you think about the Dwarves roller coaster?"

"That'll be great," Kathleen said.

"I love that one," Fleur said quickly.

"Then let's go, but what about after?" Eve said. "There's a long time until lunch."

"Just walk to the other side of the park," Julia suggested.

After the others had agreed the kids went back to their families and told their parents what they wanted to do. Since no one had any disagreement with the ride they made their way quickly to it. There were a little more people in line there, so they went around to the exit, Dani joining the babies and Martha while they rode.

"We want to go on the Haunted Mansion next," Eve said to all the adults after she and the kids had talked about what they would go on.

As they were making their way over to it Julia said to her mother, "You're not going to get bored or anything? We've been going on these rides a lot."

"We're not coming back for a couple days," Castle said as he was next to them. "And besides, just because we're old that doesn't mean we don't like the rides as much as you guys."

"Oh," Julia said. "Sorry," she said with a smile. "I just thought you'd get bored."

"We were worried about you guys being bored," Lily said from behind them with a laugh. "Are you taking Josie in here?"

"No, she's staying out with Martha," Beckett said.

"I'm staying Katie," Jim told her as he was pushing the stroller. "Her turn this time."

"We asked her to come with us," Julia told her parents with a smile.

"Nice of you to do Mother," Castle said. He looked at his wife, realizing everything had fallen into place for them to go on it together again before she took his hand and they walked together into the line for the ride as it was less than ten minutes. As they walked around to get to the inside of the building he said, "You don't mind?"

"Why would I?" Beckett asked. " _But… take it easy on any making out_."

" _I can't make any promises_ ," Castle said seriously though he was smiling at her use of Irish. When she laughed softly he wrapped his arm around her tightly before they were stepping inside and then were directed into the elevator that would take them down. They stood close together, looking around at the people entering after them before the doors finally closed. Once they had his wife startled him by both her actions and speaking to him in Irish at the same time though the narrator was beginning to talk as they started to descend.

" _Gabh dom_ ," Beckett said, telling him to hold her. When he looked at her he said with a smile. " _It's cramped in here_ ," still speaking in Irish.

Brushing his lips against his wife's Castle was relieved everyone in the elevator was watching the pictures above them stretch. He knew he couldn't really do more than that, but they didn't let go of each other until the doors were opening and they could walk out with everyone. "Hold her hands girls," he called to them ahead of him and Beckett.

"They'll be fine," she said before the two held onto their grandmother's hands. Beckett held her husband's hand as they made their way to the loading station and once they were on the walkway they went quickly before they got onto their doom buggy they were directed to. She leaned against the back before she had to move a bit when her husband was wrapping his arm around her waist. She allowed him that and then leaned against him as they headed down the hallway with the changing pictures, smiling when she heard Eliza squeal in mock fear. They were soon reaching the next room and she was about to tell her husband something when he beat her to it, speaking rapidly as he did so.

"My favorite room," Castle said as they went through the library.

"Even though it's haunted?" Beckett asked him in amusement.

"That's the best part," Castle told her firmly. When she laughed and leaned against him he told her, "But I'd pass on the house."

"Me too," Beckett said as they were coming to what she had guessed was supposed to be a living room as there was a piano, couch and cello. She smiled at the sight of the shadow on the floor and then murmured to her husband, "Should we be worried they enjoy this so much?"

Castle smiled, as he'd been able to hear their daughters too, and then said, "They're our girls."

"They are," Beckett said before they came into the room with staircases; resembling an M.C. Escher room. She smiled as the girls giggled at the sight of footsteps lighting up the steps before they moved past glowing eyes that turned into a wallpaper pattern. She squeezed her husband's hand as they came to the hallway with the floating candelabra and she murmured, "You can kiss me you know."

"Not just yet," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she looked at him and said, "Don't worry, I will. I want to."

Beckett didn't reply, merely squeezed at his hand again before she looked on either side of them as they'd reached the conservatory and hallway with doors that were constantly being knocked on, the handles pulled or pushed on. There the ride was the same as it had been in Disneyland, going through the séance room they paused as the ride momentarily stopped. She was startled when her husband suddenly grabbed her and turned her so he could kiss her, but she was quickly recovering and wrapped her arms around his neck before they were dueling each other rapidly in their desire. When they stopped it was because the ride was continuing again, and she suddenly realized someone could have seen them. But she decided she didn't need to question it as they were reaching the large ballroom where they looked down together.

"Now if we had this in our house there might be an issue," Castle said when they leaned back.

"You'd get tired of it quickly," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband looked at her in confusion and she said simply, "You know, if it was a ride."

Not responding to that Castle held his wife close as they were making their way through the attic. Going into the next room and the graveyard scene there he was tempted to kiss his wife again, but their doom buggy was turning and then descending so they were laying against the back. But when they straightened up he gave her a quick kiss, thinking that she wanted to pull away so they could look around at everything. He was startled when a second later she was kissing him and hard while she cupped his face with her hands. Their tongues met immediately and began to roll together before he watched her pulling away. " _Beidh tú buartha má deirim go gcaillim leat_?" he said, asking her if she would be mad if he said he missed her.

" _Ní más rud é a dhéanfaidh mé freisin_ ," Beckett told him with a smile, which meant not if she did too. Since they were leaving the graveyard they only had time to brush their lips against each other as they had come to the hitchhiking ghosts. She laughed when her husband patted the top hat of the ghost in their reflection and then pretended to put his pirate Mickey hat on top of it. The exit was shortly after and she got out with him before they walked out of the building, their group gathering together when they were far enough away.

"We want to go on Thunder Mountain now," Eve said after she and the other kids had spoken together.

"Then we should make our way over there," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when Eliza hurried over to him and he picked her up to place her on his shoulders. And as they walked he wasn't surprised at how she was speaking excitedly about the rides they could go on, squeezing her legs tightly before they were in Frontierland and making their way to the ride.

* * *

"Guys, we-" Brad started to say to get their attention as they gathered together after going on the Magic Carpet ride.

"You," Lily interrupted her husband with swiftly.

"Alright… me," Brad said, looking at her before he glanced back to their family and friends. "I took a little initiative and got us reservations for lunch."

"Where?" Castle asked, concerned it would be at the place he'd gotten them tables for at dinner.

" _Be Our Guest_ ," Brad replied.

"Sure, but what's the name of the restaurant?" Mary called out. She smiled when Brad; and a couple of the others; groaned and she said, "Great choice; we saw that yesterday and were tempted to come over even after we were going to the other parks."

"Did anyone eat there already by the way?" Skye asked. When no one said yes, she said, "Then it was a great choice. Is it time?"

"It is, that's why I was getting your attention now," the chief said.

"That's a great choice," Beckett commented to her friend as she was walking next to her.

Nodding Lily said, "Oh I know, he wanted to go there since _Beauty and the Beast_ is Evie's favorite Disney movie."

"Julia's second," Beckett said with a smile.

"Erin quite enjoys it," Clara said to them as she enjoyed them. "Hopefully it's big enough for us all to fit."

"It is, Brad asked," Lily said with a smile before they split up to rejoin their families.

"Hey Mom," Julia said as soon as she was with her mother. "Dad said that Brad said they have the grey stuff on a dessert here, like in the song."

"Yes, we can try it out," Beckett said, squeezing her shoulder. "But after we eat."

Julia nodded and smiled at her before she jogged over to Mari saying, "Do you need to sit with your family?"

"Yeah," the girl said, nodding her head. "Maybe at dinner us kids can sit together."

"We're going to sit as families honey," Rebecca said to her daughter. "Sorry."

"Maybe another day," Julia said to her friend, squeezing her hand before she went back to her family in a rush.

Inside the restaurant the group were led to a large room they were told was the gallery they nearly had to themselves and tables that were joined together in a long row. They were loud as they were talking to each other; though keeping it between those nearest to them; and they were ordering both drinks and food so they could spend more time talking which they were doing again shortly after their waiters and waitress had left them.

"What did you get Grandpapa?" Eliza asked Jim as she was sitting next to her.

"The braised pork," he replied. "I get mashed potatoes with it if you'd like to try it."

"Yeah," Eliza said with a rapid nod.

"What should we go on first when we finish up with Fantasyland?" Castle asked his wife.

"We'll let the kids that're with us decide," Beckett said, glancing at him. She then smiled and said, "Why?"

" _I'm just hoping to ride with you_ ," Castle said honestly and in Irish as he didn't want the girls to hear that.

" _We will, maybe Splash Mountain? We haven't gotten to go on that together yet_ ," Beckett suggested, speaking fully in Irish as she didn't need to worry about translating the ride's name.

" _That would be great_ ," Castle told her with a nod. " _To tell you the truth I'd love to go on all the rides we haven't been on together yet_."

"We'll try," Beckett promised him as their drinks were being served to them. She then noticed Eve and Fleur were going to Julia and Eliza, speaking to them before the girls got up. "What is it?" she asked when her daughters walked over to her.

"They're letting everyone look at the pictures," Julia said, nodding to the ones they were by.

"Go ahead," Castle said with a smile. He watched with his wife as the kids all went together to look at the pictures and he said, "I'm glad we came."

"Here or the vacation in general?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"In general," Castle told her, squeezing her hand. "What about you Mother?"

"Oh, don't worry," Martha said, standing up to set Josie back into her carrier that was in between her and her son at the end of the table. "I'm enjoying myself greatly. And this restaurant is… amazing."

"It is," Beckett said, smiling as she saw how the kids were mostly taking pictures of what were supposed to be paintings of Beauty and the Beast with the other characters on the walls. "Hello," she said with a smile to Skye as she was sitting down where Julia had been.

"Hello," the investigator said with a smile. " _I thought I should tell you_ ," she said in Russian. " _Could see you two kissing on the Haunted Mansion_."

" _Of course you did_ ," Beckett replied easily. " _Though why you weren't doing that with your wife_ …"

" _Don't try to change the subject_ ," Skye said wryly. " _But we weren't together_."

" _I thought you would have been_ ," Beckett said honestly.

" _Another time_ ," Skye said before she heard Ivy calling to her. " _But I also wanted to say you were lucky_."

Beckett smiled as the woman left and she touched her husband's hand telling him, "I'll be right back."

Castle was a little startled but when he glanced over at the girls he could see they were both glancing over their way. He smiled and then stood to follow his wife, walking quickly enough after her to be able to hear what the girls were saying to their mother eagerly once he'd reached the three of them.

"Can- oh good!" Julia said when she spotted Castle. "Will you take a picture of us with Mom here?"

"Alright," Castle said, looking up at the picture as he was taking Julia's camera. "Why this one though?"

"It's funny," Eliza said with a giggle as it was of the two characters from the animated movie, the Beast wearing a woman's hat while Belle was wearing and looking at another.

"Okay," Castle said, waiting for his wife to stand with the two before he heard someone approaching them. "Oh, sorry," he said, recognizing that it was the waitress that had taken their orders.

"It's alright, I was just about to ask if you'd like me to take a picture of your family," the woman said.

"Thank you, Nicole," Castle said, reading that off the tag. "You're from California?"

"I am," the woman said.

"Our friends are too," Eliza said shyly.

"The family at the middle of the tables," Beckett quickly explained. She watched her husband hurry over to them; after explaining to Nicole where the shutter button was; and they stood together in front of the table that was underneath the picture. After they had all smiled and the picture was taken she took the camera from the cast member and told her, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," the woman replied. "Enjoy your meal."

"Is our food there?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Not just yet," Beckett said with a smile. "But come back to the table." When the girls looked at each other she asked, "What is it?"  
"We didn't see the statue yet," Julia explained.

"We'll go with you," Castle said, taking her hand while Beckett was picking up Eliza. They walked over to the turning statue of Beauty and the Beast dancing and stood under it together before he looked over at his wife and their middle daughter.

"What?" Beckett asked.

"No, just realizing we forgot about Alexis for the picture," Castle said. He was surprised when Julia just smirked before he was the one to ask, "What?"

Not saying anything, the girl merely looked over at the table where Alexis and Louis were talking to just each other. Julia smiled and said, "I don't think she would care."

"Probably not," Castle said. He then spotted a group of waiters pushing carts towards their tables and said, "I think it's time to eat."  
"It is," Beckett said, having spotted that too. She set Eliza down and they went back to their table, sitting down just as the plates were being directed to the empty spots by Jim. "Thanks Dad," she told him when the waiters and waitresses had left.

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile.

" _Bon Appetit_!" Eliza said eagerly. She looked over at Fleur and said, "Is that how you say it?"

"Yeah," Fleur said with a nod.

"Go ahead and eat sweetie," Beckett said to the little girl across the table. She wasn't surprised when Eliza quickly turned to her turkey sandwich and looked at her own plate before she said to her husband, "This is more than enough to eat," waiting for his reaction as she'd tried to speak as seriously as she could.

"Alright," Castle said in mock annoyance. "We just didn't think the salad yesterday was enough."

"It was and so is this," Beckett replied as she had gotten the _croque monsieur_ , as had her husband and their oldest.

"It is, enjoy," Castle told his wife with a smile.

After taking the first few bites the group started to talk together about their food and talk turned to after their children had left them except for the six youngest. The adults debated for a moment about splitting up again, but they decided to stay together with the youngest kids that could go on rides.

"I mean it's not like we couldn't go on some of the best rides," David said. "Eliza, Fleur and the twins are able to go on Splash Mountain."

"What about Space Mountain?" Ivy asked her mother.

"I'm afraid not yet lass," Skye told her firmly. "Be a bit better if you're a bit older for that one."

"Are you sure you're not just waiting to take her to Disneyland?" Martha asked.

"No," Mary said with a laugh. "We'll wait to take them on it after they're eight; all three of them," she said as she looked at Fleur.

"We get to go on fun rides still," Eliza said.

The others laughed at how serious the little girl was being before they returned to their food fully until they were finishing and waiting for the dessert cart to be brought to the table.

"Mom they look kinda small," Julia said when the waitress was coming over to them.

"I know, we're getting one each," Beckett replied easily. She smiled when her daughters both looked at her and she said, "I'm serious. Tell her which one you want."

"I'd like the chocolate cake," Julia said, turning back to the waitress. "Is that the grey stuff?"

"It is," Nicole replied with a smile, handing her the little plate the small chocolate sponge cake was on. "What would you like?"

Eliza suddenly felt shy and she pointed to the plate her sister had in front of her before she whispered a thank you as she took her plate. She did her best to wait for everyone to get desserts as well before she looked at her parents.

"Go ahead and start but don't eat too fast," Castle told her, not surprised she was so anxious.

Taking some of the cake and what she guessed was something like whipped cream Beckett ate her spoonful before she said, "Tastes like cookies and cream."

"It does," Castle said. "Not bad."

"No," Beckett said before they looked at their daughters. She had to bite at the side of her mouth to keep from laughing at how serious the two were before she asked, "Do you guys like it?"

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding rapidly. "Can we have this again?"

"I don't think so," Beckett replied with a smile. "We do have dinner tonight."

"Oh, are we gonna have popcorn again?" Eliza said with a heavy sigh.

"Since we're going to walk so much," Beckett said as her husband looked at her. "We might be able to stop somewhere specific for dessert."

"A snack place?" Julia asked interestedly.

"Maybe, we'll see how today goes," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when Eliza wriggled a little before she calmed down to return to her dessert. She did the same herself until they finished and were getting up to leave since they'd already paid with their meal plans they had. Outside they gathered together and the adults looked at the kids before Marie spoke first in surprise.

"Are we picking again?" the little girl asked.

"Go ahead," Castle said.

"We should get the one we're all thinking of out of the way," Jacob said. He wasn't surprised when his family; except for his little sister; looked at him in surprise since they were aware he hated the song on It's a Small World. "I want to see if we can take up a whole boat."

"We probably will," Castle said with a laugh as they made their way to the right where the ride was.

"You seem very calm Dad," Alexis said as she walked next to him, holding Eliza's hand.

"Well… it's the song I can't really stand," Castle said easily. "But it would be interesting if we can go in one boat. Also, I hope we don't sink it if we do."

Beckett, hearing that, looked over her shoulder at her husband before Julia was tugging on her hand as they were nearing the building for the ride that looked like a castle. She smiled at her oldest and said, "Who would you like to sit with?"

"I'll sit with you, since we're going to go after an hour," Julia said. "Is Josa coming with us?"

"We're all going," Jim told her, walking just behind them.

"Dad, will you sit with me and the girls?" Beckett asked. "Oh…" she said as she realized Alexis probably wouldn't fit in their row with them as the young woman looked at her with a smile on her face at her question.

"Don't worry, Erin asked if we could ride with her but I think it's more how exactly we're going to be spread out in the rows," Alexis told them.

Since they were going inside the group focused on getting to the loading platform where Brad told the cast member how many of them there were and how they wanted to try and get their own boat. And though they had to wait for the boat that was already half way full to fill up the group managed to get their own boat, a little spread out.

"This is so cool," Mari said, looking at Julia who was with her little sisters, Mother and grandfather in the row behind the front where she was with her parents and sister.

"I know," Julia said. "We should do this again after dinner."

"We might," Beckett said.

"Shh Jules, the ride is starting!" Eliza said.

Julia bit at her lower lip as she tried not to laugh at how serious her little sister was and just managed to do so. She was lucky she had a distraction; the ride was starting as her little sister had said after they'd gone through a second short tunnel. She looked at the Scandinavian dolls before she heard her sister giggling at the ice skaters at the end and she smiled herself as they were twirling around rapidly. She then looked at Josie who was on their mother's lap and took her hand, wanting to play a little with her before her mother touched her arm and she looked up at her questioningly.

"Leave her sweetie, I'd like her to be ready to sleep once she gets back into her carrier," Beckett said gently. When Julia nodded and then looked away from her she glanced behind her at her husband who was sitting with his mother and the elder McDouglas twins.

"I'm fine," Castle said, "I'm explaining where we are; Denmark right now."

"I know," Beckett said with a smile before she turned back. They passed by England and then France and Scotland which were across from each other in the water. She smiled as Julia was looking back and forth rapidly before she heard David whistling briefly when they'd come to the green hills of Ireland where there were a boy and a girl with leprechauns surrounding them.

"Mom… are we all Irish?" Julia asked, looking up at her mother.

"We are," Beckett said without hesitation. "In some way or other we are."

"Cool," Julia said with a wide smile.

"Daddy," Eliza whispered, turning back to him.

"Belgium, where your grandpapa's family is from… and now it's Holland," Castle was saying quickly.

"Look forward sweetie," Beckett said to the little girl.

As they were passing by Spain next Julia could help turning then and she said to her grandfather, "Quixote."

"It is," Jim said though it wasn't the first time they'd been on the ride.

"I think they love the costumes," Beckett said when her father looked at her. "And they didn't ask yesterday what the countries they're not sure about are," she added as they were looking at Germany and Switzerland after it. Passing by Italy last, she glanced ahead at Asian countries, not surprised when Julia started talking to Mari before they were coming to Africa and South America. She glanced back at her husband when they came to what she knew was Tahiti with a fire dancer and waterfall. She smiled when he squeezed her shoulder firmly and as they came to the final scenes, the finale, she knew he was thinking about their autumn trip as well. Back at the loading platform they got out and she held Josie securely until they reached the strollers for the baby and Sophie and went on to the next ride to continue making their way through Fantasyland and walk off their lunch.

* * *

"Which ride are you going on first?" Castle asked the kids. He glanced at Brad and his wife and said, "I need to take command too."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "We do want to know."

"Thunder Mountain," Eve said first.

"Sounds good," Rebecca said. "Julia, text your mom after that and we'll see you guys at five for dinner okay?"

"Sure," Julia said with a nod. And with that she and the other six kids left the group though she knew Alexis and Louis would be leaving the adults too. She couldn't help squeezing Mari's hand tightly before something came to mind and she was about to ask them all when Erin did first.

"How are we going to sit on the rides then?" the little girl said.

"Whoa, you read my mind," Julia said in awe.

Laughing with the others Jacob said, "I'll sit on my own, Mom and Dad asked me to do that 'cause someone might sit with the person by themselves."

"What if we ask if we sit by ourselves?" Marie said.

"Well… sure but you guys want to sit on the rides with me?" Jacob asked as they walked through the exit for the ride.

"Why not? You're like our brother," Julia said. "And Lizzy and I sat with you on the Peter Pan ride."

"True," Jacob said before he moved to the front and talked to the cast member there.

They were soon sitting in the back and Julia said to them all, "This is so cool!"

"I know, never took care of kids before," Eve said jokingly from in front of the two girls as they had played rock, paper, scissors rapidly to see who would get the back row.

"We're not all kids," Mari said in defense of her friend. They were leaving the building where the loading platform was and they all waved together at the people who were waiting in line. Once they were in the dark and starting up the incline she whispered to Julia, "I'm glad they didn't get mad at us for not waiting in line."

Nodding, the girl said, "Me too," as she didn't want to point out that their parents had paid more for their bracelets. When they were at the top Julia put up her arms and she cried out in excitement with Mari and the others as they banked down to the left and started to make their way to their first stopping point where she called out to Jacob to see how he was doing on his own in front of his sister and Kathleen.

"I'm good," Jacob called back. "Are you guys?" he then said.

"Yeah!" they all said at the same time before they were going down again.

Julia tried to hold up her arms, but it was difficult on the banks and finally she gave up, holding the bar in front of them until they were riding to the mine and the next incline. She shared a smile with Mari in the short time they had until they were at the top and dipping down before they rode the rest of the track until they were back where they started.

With a whoop of excitement when they were outside the ride Kathleen said, "What's next? I hope Splash Mountain since we're already there."

Laughing Eve said, "Probably the best idea since we are."

"Hey, I have to text my mom," Julia told them quickly. "Let's take a picture too, in front of the drop." She wasn't surprised when her friends and cousin all agreed, and they went quickly to where they would be in front of the finale for the ride. She let Eve take the picture; as her arms were longer; and then swiftly texted her mother, attaching the picture to it. She laughed as her mother quickly texted her and when the others asked her what the message was she read, " _Have fun, keep inside the log at all times_."

Laughing together the group went around so they could go into the exit of the ride before Eve suddenly spoke.

"Who's going with who?" the young woman asked as they paused.

"I'll go with you," Mari said. "What?" she then asked, startled as they were all looking at her in surprise except for Julia.

"We're not going to sit on every ride together," the girl said, rolling her eyes. "I'll go with someone else… or by myself."

"I'll go," Jacob told her.

"Erin?" Julia said to her cousin.

"Yeah," the girl said with a nod before they got to the cast member. When they were on their log Erin said, "It's amazing to come here."

"Even though you've been at the one in Paris?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, hopefully you can all go to Paris, it's fun," Erin said as they were heading up the incline.

"I bet you will," Jacob said to Julia.

"I know, but you might come with us, all of you," the girl replied. "Since you're coming now."

"It would be cool to go to all the Disney parks," Marie said.

"Mom and Mum are talking about us doing that," Kathleen added.

"When did you start calling them that?" Julia asked in surprise as they were going up another incline.

"Today, we decided since we're gonna be ten we want to be grown up," Kathleen told them.

"And they don't mind?" Eve asked in surprise.

"Nope," Marie said before they started to laugh together as they reached the top of that incline and went down the little drop. After they were in calm water again she said, "Think your… Ivy and Iris will call them that?"

"They're our sisters," Kathleen said firmly. "And yeah, eventually."

Julia smiled with Erin but didn't have a chance to say anything since they were coming to the first real drop and she raised her arms above her head with her cousin as they cried out going down together. When they were at the bottom and were splashed they were laughing and she said, "We're going to be so wet."

"I know," Mari said, behind the two. "Good thing we took off our hats!"

"Yeah," Marie said before they were looking at the animatronic animals they were passing once they were inside the ride's structure.

Julia was a little surprised to find herself bored with that part of the ride and she couldn't help saying, "Am I stupid for being glad we're gonna go somewhere else tomorrow?"

"No, I thought the same thing," Eve said, the others agreeing with her. "Maybe it's because we went to Fantasyland before this."

"Probably," Jacob said in agreement with his sister. "But at least we have the drops!" he said since they were approaching one of them. He yelled out in joy as they descended in the darkness, clapping with the others when they came to the bottom and the beehives. "Are we going to try Pirates next?" he asked them.

"Let's wait to see," Eve told her brother, having to speak rapidly as they'd gotten to another drop and they went down it swiftly since it was a shorter one. As they were heading around more animatronics she said to Mari, "Having fun?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to get splashed in the face though," the girl said with a laugh. "But I can't wait for the big drop."

"Me too," Julia told her friend before they smiled at one another. She was relieved when they finally reached the incline and she said to her cousin, "Want to put your hands up?" She was surprised when Erin shook her head no, but she didn't have much time to ask her about that as they were at the top and they were soon flying down the drop to screams and yells of joy until they were splashing at the bottom, clapping and laughing together. When they were going around she took the chance to her cousin to ask her why she didn't want to put her hands up when the girl was explaining her reason swiftly.

"It makes me feel like I'm going to fall out," Erin confessed.

"In Anaheim you don't have a lap bar like here," Marie said to her.

"But you won't fall out," Jacob said quickly as they could all see in some way that the girl had paled. "That's what gravity is Erin, it pushes you down and unless you make yourself move you wouldn't fall out."

"Oh… good," Erin said.

Going through the rest of the ride Julia said once they were off it, "Want to see our pictures? We never look."  
"We did yesterday when we went on with Dad," Eve said.

"We all made faces and made Mom see it," Jacob commented.

"Was she mad?" Kathleen asked.

"No, she just laughed 'cause she knows Dad's like that," Eve answered. They had come to where the pictures were, and she was able to spot her brother as he'd been more to the front of their log and she began to laugh as the others were looking with her.

"You should try to take a picture," Mari said, as the young boy in the photo was covering his eyes with both hands.

"I just did," Eve replied. "Let's go."

Walking together the group looked at each other as they seemed to realize that they hadn't picked out where to go next, so they discussed it before Erin suggested something.

"What about the island?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, we went there but we didn't really spend too much time since we wanted to go on rides," Marie said.

"Yeah, we didn't even go," Kathleen said while they were walking over to the dock for the raft ferry for the island.

"Why not?" Julia said. "And you said you went everywhere."

"Every ride," Marie corrected. "But not here. Take a couple pictures of us so your mom can show our sisters? That way we could come back with our parents after dinner."

"Cool," Julia said before they reached the structure where they needed to wait for the next raft. "Stand here at the railing," she said to them before they leaned against it. She again let Eve take a picture and sent it off before she smiled at her mother's response telling the others, " _No playing pirates and remember you have four hours left for rides_."

"Four hours?" Mari asked.

"We're eating dinner at five thirty, so we have a lot of time together for rides," Julia said.

Snorting Jacob said, "You mean a little less; we have to go through Fantasyland again."

"Maybe we should go here quick," Mari suggested.

Julia agreed with the others; since they knew they would be trying to go with their parents and the rest of their siblings later; before they were getting on the ferry raft before they were making their way across the Rivers of America to the little island. She was watching the island approaching when Mari touched her shoulder and she looked at her, wondering what was on her mind.

"What can we do if we don't stay that long?" the girl asked.

"Well… maybe we can just ride there and come right back," Julia suggested, looking at the others.

"At least it's a ride," Marie pointed out before they all started to laugh as the ferry was landing.

Julia wasn't surprised when Eve asked the cast member driving the ferry if they could stay on the boat and was relieved when they could. So they moved to the other side to watch their trip back and she smiled saying, "Now we have to pick the next ride."

"Should we just go to Tomorrowland?" Jacob suggested.

"Definitely," the twins said at the same time.

"Funny you and Eliza do that," Mari said teasingly to Julia before she heard Jacob groaning.

"That means there are going to be three of you doing that," the young man said jokingly.

Julia reached out to him and pushed at his shoulder though she barely moved him before she smiled and said, "We probably will… but not for a long time."

"Yeah, we can't wait for Sophie to start to talk and everything," Eve commented.

"It must be fun to have a baby sister," Kathleen commented. She then realized that it was quiet between their group and she said, "Our moms didn't want to have kids and we weren't expecting it. Actually, we weren't expecting to have any sisters."

"Yeah, we wanted siblings so it was a surprise we have so many now," Marie said. "But what about the rides?"

Since they were at the dock back in Frontierland by then they hurried to discuss which ride they would be going on first together. They finally decided to bypass the Stitch ride since they had all been on it twice already and agreed they wanted to go on Buzz Lightyear first.

"I'll go with you Marie," Eve said as they were in line since it was only two minutes long at that moment for some reason. Julia had just taken a picture of them all in front of the Buzz Lightyear figurine and they were hurrying to get to the end of the line of people waiting as she sent the picture to Beckett.

"I'll go with you," Kathleen said to Erin.

"I'll go on my own," Mari said with a smile at the other two.

"But-" Julia started to say.

"I will," Mari said, nodding. "Just practice."

"If we go again-" Julia started to say.

"We'll probably be with our families," Mari interrupted her, speaking rapidly as they were nearly on the walkway to the ride's cars. "I'll be with someone then."

Julia could only nod and she got onto the car after her best friend with Jacob following her. "Are you going to spin this around?" she asked him.

"No way," he said quickly as they got their laser guns off the holders. Jacob then smiled before he said, "But it is fun to get to do that."

"Yeah," Julia said before they laughed just as they were reaching the first of the targets and she was quick to aim as they began to get points.

"This is going to be even," Jacob eventually said as he paused when she turned their car for them both.

"I know," Julia said with a laugh as she knew he would practice with a bow and arrow with his father. She did her best to fire as many times as she could since she knew they were finishing the ride. When they couldn't get any more points, she smiled as she saw the scores and said, "It was close."

"Yeah, but I was lucky," Jacob replied. When they were out of the car he told her, "At the end I was shooting at everything."

Julia laughed and said, "I did the same thing. And I got an idea for next."

Jacob looked at her, but they were rejoining everyone else and he said, "Julia has an idea; we should listen."

"I have a suggestion," Julia said, giving him a look. "That we go to Space Mountain and then get some popcorn and go on the PeopleMover but I don't know about that one."

"I like that," Kathleen said quickly.

"Me too, did your dads give you money for a snack?" Eve asked Julia, Mari and Erin.

"Yes," the three girls said. "Did your moms?" she asked Kathleen and Marie.

"They did, but what can we do after we go on the PeopleMover?" the latter asked.

"Pirates," Julia said. "Or else something fun but slower like that."

"Let's go," Erin said, and they hurried past the Carousel of Progress and the Astro Orbiter.

Going through the exit, Julia commented, "Good thing the seating isn't two by two for Jake."

"I know," Mari said. "But what order?"

"Jake should go first," Eve said. "He's been sitting behind or in front on the rides."

"Thanks," Jacob told his sister. He smiled when she nodded, and they stopped at the gates to exit out of the ride, telling the cast member standing there that there were seven of them as they were all holding up their wrists.

Since there were only two cars attached with three seats each, Jacob and Eve offered to go on the cars behind the other five who were soon sitting and taking off down the track.

"I wish this was like at Disneyland!" Julia cried out to her friend, Mari in the front in front of her.

"I know but this is still cool!" the girl said as they were going through the tunnel fast with flashing lights.

Julia bounced eagerly on her seat before she held on tightly to the bars in front of her, waiting for them to go up the first incline and then the second before they were taking off. She cried out happily as they were flying down the track, screaming at the sudden dips and turns before they came to the bottom of it and were going through the tunnel where their pictures were taken. When they were all off their seats and on the other side of the gate she turned to her friends, watching as Erin looked down at her phone before tilting her head to look up at her with a smile on her face.

"Julia-" Mari started to say to her friend.

"I forgot to text my mom!" the girl exclaimed, getting her phone. "Quick, let's take a picture and then I'll explain where Eve and Jake are." She took the picture that time before she hurriedly typed out a message and sent it.

"Is she mad?" Marie asked as they were watching the Eve and Jacob getting off their car.

"No, she said they're about to go on Splash Mountain with the other kids," Julia said as she was reading. "Everyone's going but the babies, Dani and my grandparents since there are two of them."

"Cool, let's go though," Jacob said. "The PeopleMover takes a while."

"Then why go on?" Erin asked.

"Oh, he's joking he just wants popcorn," Eve said, rolling her eyes. "You guys should know boys are hungry all the time."

"I'm hungry too, we were walking a lot," Kathleen said.

Jacob smiled gratefully at her before they were outside the building for the ride and heading down to the nearest snack cart.

Buying bags of popcorn to share together the group went to the entrance to the line for the ride; though there wasn't much of one. They stopped there for a moment to take a picture for Julia to send off before they were hurrying inside to get onto the cars, jokingly discussing their next few rides in the time left before they needed to regroup with their families.


	6. Like A Child In Wild Anticipation (Pt 2)

Settling Josie against her right breast Beckett said absently, "What would you want to go on after we're finished."

"I'll let you decide," Castle commented. He smiled when his wife looked at him and said, "Seriously, you can pick." He wasn't surprised when she became thoughtful and he let her think while he glanced down at their daughter. There wasn't much time left until they needed to meet the kids to have dinner and Josie had decided after they'd ridden on Thunder Mountain with Eliza to nurse. So while their friends and family were going on the Jungle Cruise, he and Beckett were in a slightly secluded area. He was holding the blanket over the baby with his arm wrapped around his wife securely with a towel over his shoulder to burp Josie when she had finished.

"Since we're here," Beckett finally said. "I'm wondering what if we take all the parents, go on Splash Mountain again."

"Alright but that depends on your dad and Mother," Castle said.

"I know, I'm going to leave it to them," Beckett said. "If they would rather we take the kids then we can go on Pirates."

Castle nodded but he and his wife were distracted by Josie finishing at that moment and he was hurrying to make sure Beckett would be covered once he'd taken the baby. With their daughter against his shoulder he said, "Think they're bored yet?"

"Which ones? The older kids, the youngest or Alexis and Louis?" Beckett asked in amusement as she was closing her blouse.

"I'll say the first," Castle replied.

"No," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "Which is such a surprise."

Castle nodded his head before he saw Skye was approaching them with Ivy and Iris and he called, "Everything okay?"

"Everyone's alright; including your children," the investigator replied wryly. "You should have just asked that first." Skye glanced at Beckett as he shrugged, and they rolled their eyes at the same time before he suddenly, briefly, snorted.

"Sorry, you guys would do that back then too," Castle said. He could tell that Josie was settled so he stood up to put her back inside her carrier, moving her stuffed giraffe she had that day from side to side. He smiled as she followed it with her eyes before he gently prodded her nose with the nose of the toy, Josie smiling back at him. "Okay," he said, seeing the others were with them by then. "We can go ahead and ride our last ride before meeting our kids."

"What are we gonna go on now?" Eliza asked.

"Mother, Jim," Castle directed to them.

Beckett was startled when her husband stopped there, and she looked at him before he made a motion with his hand. "Thank you. But Rick and I were thinking of going to Splash Mountain with just the parents."

"Go ahead," Martha said simply. She smiled at the expressions on the parents' faces before saying, "Really, they're well behaved, I don't think the older ones mind you going and the babies are both full and happy at this moment. If they need anything else, we'll take care of them."

"Thank you," Beckett said before they started to walk together to Frontierland. She had to stop soon after as Eliza was begging her to pick her up and she was swift to do so telling her, "Sweetie you're getting too big for this."

"Not yet," Eliza said with a pout.

"Are you tired?" Castle asked, walking next to his wife with Josie in her stroller.

"Little bit," Eliza replied.

"Thirsty?" Beckett guessed.

"Yeah," Eliza said with a nod.

"There's a place in the land," Castle told his mother and father in law. "They have soft drinks in a country bear jug-"

"Not soda," Clara said firmly.

"They'll have lemonade," Castle said. "Ask for that and share in extra cups, everyone shares so you'll be hungry for dinner."

"If you're quick enough on your ride we can walk to another," Jim pointed out.

"Good idea," Brad said. "Even though our one child here is a little too young for it."

"You can get that," Mary said with a laugh to hers and Skye's three girls.

"And you, share with one of the twins or Fleur," Beckett told Eliza before she set her down as they were at the small place at the very beginning of Frontierland. When they'd said goodbye to their children she went to her husband and took her hand before she said to the others, "There are only four rows but five of us."

"We'll go separate," Skye said immediately. "You know, all the hetero couples together." When she saw the horrified look on Beckett's face she blanched slightly and said, "Sorry, I was kidding. We'd like to sit in the front."

Going through the exit the couples went quickly to the loading platform where they showed their bracelets and then got into the logs.

"How did this happen?" Castle asked, looking behind himself and his wife since they'd ended up getting the front of the boat.

"We don't want to get wet," David said jokingly.

"Thanks," Beckett replied wryly before they were staring down the track.

"How many times do you think our kids went on this?" Brad called from the very back.

"Plenty," Brennan said, laughing with the others while they made their way up the first incline.

Since they had been on it before Castle and Beckett knew they weren't going to be getting all that wet so they enjoyed the ride without being concerned. After the main drop they weren't surprised to see the kids were all against the railing where they slowed down a bit. They waved with the others before swiftly floating past them and they looked at one another.

"I really hope that was just lemonade in those," Castle said as they were all holding one of the small drink jugs.

"You don't think much of your kids' grandparents you know," Rebecca said.

"She's right, please don't let your mother hear you said that," Beckett told him meaningfully.

"Point taken," Castle replied quickly since he knew she was right.

Beckett smiled and paid attention to the rest of the ride, letting her husband help her out of the boat before they were walking from the loading platform. "Do we have time?" she asked him.

"For one more…" Castle said slowly as he was looking at his watch. "Well," he said as he studied the time. "We could go on those magic carpets, it's quick," he said, directing that to the other parents as well.

"Sure, but here they come," Skye said as she and Mary had joined them swiftly.

Since the four kids were so eager to show their parents the faux drinking jugs they'd gotten they almost missed out on the chance for the next ride. But they made it to the carpets and paired off while Martha and Jim waited with the babies. When they had left Castle got their attention which took a little time as the four were talking excitedly about the ride.

"We're going to have a very big dinner and we'll be able to sit together," he told them. "Once we get there… and the other kids too."

"Will Jules be there?" Eliza asked, up on her father's shoulders by then.

"She will," Castle said. "Or a little late, we don't know."

"I would say late," Beckett commented. But when they were nearing the restaurant a short time later she paused for a moment in seeing all seven kids were there together in front of the building. "How-" she began before she stopped herself abruptly. She glanced at Lily asking, "Is he that hungry?"

"I wouldn't put it past Erin to be as well," Brennan said.

"Or our kids," Skye said.

"Or Mari," Rebecca added.

"Julia?" Castle asked his wife.

"Yes," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But please don't mention that when we reach them."

"Why?" Skye asked. "Or why should we I should have said."

Before anyone could say anything to that the kids were walking quickly over to them all and talking to them eagerly at the same time about their time away. Alexis and Louis were joining them shortly after that and they could barely stop talking while they were going into the Liberty Tree Tavern. Castle managed to give his name and they were led to one of the six themed rooms where there was a long table set up in the middle of it. They took a moment to sit down before Castle was talking to everybody, trying to look at them while he was as he wanted to advise them of the dinner, hoping they'd be alright with it.

"The big thing here; and why I wanted us to eat here; is they have a big dinner with three types of meat and sides," Castle told the adults.

"We see that," Clara said, holding up a menu. "But it's the only thing here."

"I think you can decide to switch the sides if you'd like," Castle said.

"No, if you want the dessert," Lily said after she'd read the menu she and Brad had gotten. "Which we'll skip," she said before looking at their kids as they were groaning.

"We'll have something elsewhere," Beckett commented after they had ordered their drinks and the necessary amount of food. She smiled when Julia looked across the table at Mari before she said, "We will, nothing big but something."

"How come?" Jacob couldn't help asking.

"You guys have been walking around a lot," Rebecca said first.

"And you just had popcorn for your snack," Skye said.

"Plus, it's a special occasion," Brad said.

"That doesn't mean we're eating sugar all the time," Lily said, looking at her husband with a slight frown.

"We know," the kids were saying though not at the same time. They still started to laugh and talked together about the rides after their hour in Fantasyland before their drinks arrived.

"Don't stop," Mary said. "It's interesting hearing your conversation; even though the youngest weren't with you."

"Could we do that again?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, like tomorrow," Eve said.

"That reminds me," Castle said. "Do they know where we're going?" he asked the other parents. When they shook their heads he said, "I guess I'm telling you; we're going to the first of the two water parks Typhoon Lagoon."

"Cool… how long does that stay open?" Marie said.

"It opens at ten and closes at eight, no magic hours or anything and we'll need to wear the plastic bracelets we got for the lines," Beckett answered.

"So… what do we do after we finish there?" Jacob asked slowly.

"We're not going to come back here," Brad said, ruffling his son's hair. "No, I think we'll decide tomorrow."

"Are we splitting up?" Mari asked.

"We are," David answered swiftly as he spotted the food being brought over to them, pointing it out to the others.

"It looks like Thanksgiving," Ivy said with a smile as she saw the green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese to go with the turkey, pot roast and carved pork roast.

"It does," Skye said, squeezing her shoulder as she was sitting next to her.

"You didn't get to do that yet," Eliza said suddenly to Fleur.

"We'll have Thanksgiving in November," Mary said. "And you'll see what it is then."

"Aren't they going to be in the Hamptons with us?" Martha asked.

"They are," Castle said with a nod to his mother. "However far she gets on the show."

"Mom?" Julia asked as she cut up her turkey. "What are we going to do after the water park tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure," Beckett replied, taking her knife and fork to help her with her pork roast she also had. "But I hope you won't mind not going to the pool."

"Isn't eight really late?" Julia asked.

"We might leave earlier than that," Jim said before his daughter or son in law could speak. He smiled when they looked at him in surprise and he said, "I guessed."

"You're gonna go on the slides and stuff too, right Grandpapa?" Eliza asked him.

"Of course… I'm not sure about the very tall slides, but I'll try some," Jim said with a smile at the little girl he was sitting on the other side of.

"Josa will stay in the cabana with you Gram?" Julia asked Martha.

"She will, but we'll try the water your parents told me about," Castle's mother said.

"Eliza," Beckett said, leaning over slightly to look at the little girl. "Eat your green beans too."

Wrinkling her nose, Eliza got some with her fork and then some mashed potatoes before she said to her grandfather, "I hope I don't have to leave early."

"We should, we'll be out in the sun and in the water," Jim said seriously. "You don't want to be tired already."

Eliza wriggled in her seat a little as she knew he was right, but she finally nodded and turned her attention to her food, eating with relish until they finished the last of it. When they were leaving the restaurant, she went to her father so she could go up on his shoulders, watching where they would go first as they reached Fantasyland shortly after.

"I wonder what we're gonna get for dessert," Julia told her big sister.

"Are you bored with the rides already?" Alexis asked in amusement.

"No," Julia said firmly. "But I'm just wondering… I hope it's ice cream." She smiled when Alexis started to laugh, hugging her, and she asked, "Will you go on the next ride with me and Lizzy?"

"Of course," Alexis replied. She called to Eliza and they went together to with the others to the exit of the Peter Pan ride.

"Are you sure-" Beckett started to say to her father and mother in law.

"Don't worry kiddo," Martha called as the flying boat they were on started to move. "We haven't had a turn with her on this one yet."

"They'll be fine," Castle assured his wife as their baby girl was going with their parents.

"I know," Beckett said as they stopped again. She felt him lean over to her before she glanced at him and said, "Rick…"

"They want us to," Castle said jokingly.

Beckett rolled her eyes but didn't say anything as they went through the Darling nursery past the children and then outside the home. " _Ach ceann amháin_ ," she then told him before their lips met, which meant just one. They lingered but didn't make it very deep before they slowly parted, and she smiled at him murmuring, " _Ní mór dúinn rud éigin amárach_."

Breathing out a little hard at her statement that they needed something tomorrow, Castle took a moment to look down at the city of London they were flying over before he turned to his wife. Before he could say anything though she was covering his mouth, murmuring into his ear while they moved around to Never Never Land.

Beckett wasn't surprised in the slightest at his rough breathing at her suggestion of a bath and to make sure he used his hands. She kissed his cheek and murmured lovingly, " _Úsáideann tú go maith iad_ ," telling him that he used them well.

Forcing himself to recover, Castle looked deep into his wife's eyes and said firmly as they were nearing the end of the ride, " _Féach ar an méid a gcaithfidh mé teagmháil_ ," telling her look at what he had to touch.

Since they were getting off their boat Beckett could only whisper a thank you in hoarse Irish as he touched the small of her back, squeezing it firmly though briefly. After she had turned to the other boat she smiled as Josie was yawning as it came to a stop in front of them. "So she had fun?" she asked her father, taking the baby from him so he and Martha could get off their boat.

"Of course," the latter said. "She said she wants to shop in London and then head to Paris for the same."

Laughing Castle said, "I'm sure she will once she can talk Mother."

"What ride is next?" Jim asked, tempted to take Josie back since he had enjoyed holding her. But he could see his daughter wasn't about to let the baby go so he merely smiled at her before Eliza hurried back to them.

"We wanna go on the Little Mermaid ride," the little girl said.

"Alright, come on," Castle said, picking her up. "Do you mind if we go on the ride with your sister?"

"'Lexis?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"No, Julia," Beckett said. "Though Rick, let's go with her on something as well."

"Tea cups?" Castle asked her.

Beckett laughed and said, "I'll pass on that, but maybe Space Mountain."

"Sure," Castle said before they got to the ride. "Mother?" he asked her when he saw she was sitting at a bench with the two strollers.

"I'll take a break," Martha said. "Go on and have fun."

Though Castle wanted to tell her she could take the baby he nodded and went after his wife so they could catch up with everyone else and get their oldest.

"Come on Lizzy," Alexis said, taking the little girl's hand. "We're going with your grandpapa."

"You can say that too," Eliza said.

Jim was surprised she was bringing that up again and was about to tell the young woman she didn't have to when she leaned over.

"She wants us to really be a family, she's asked me to call Kate mom before," Alexis said quietly. "But she knows I won't so just change the subject and smile at her too."

"This will be a very fun ride," Jim said to the little girl.

"Yeah, I like all the fishies," Eliza said, letting him help her onto the clam they would be using to go on the ride.

"I hope we get to go on a lot more rides," Julia said.

"Before dessert?" Beckett asked.

Julia smiled and said, "You can't forget dessert either."

"We want something sweet sometimes too," Castle said before they were laughing together as they were passing the seagull from the movie. He wasn't surprised when Julia leaned against her mother as they continued through the scenes, suddenly eager for their plans for dessert since they'd be sharing with everyone that time.

* * *

"Will my float taste okay?" Julia asked her mother.

"I think so, strawberry is a good flavor," Beckett said. She looked down at Eliza who was on her lap and said, "Sweetie, are you asleep?"

"No," the little girl said quickly, straightening up. "What do we do after?" Eliza waited for her mother to reply and when she didn't she said, "I don't-"

"I know you don't," Beckett interrupted her. "But you do need to go to bed because I need you to help your grandparents."

"Why?" Julia asked for her sister.

"Because they're taking Sophie with them too," Castle said as he came over with the tray that held their drinks. "So they have double the…"

"Don't say it Dad," Alexis told him firmly. "Just two babies this time around. Oh, and Dani because she's basically asleep too."

"Are they spending the night?" Julia asked interestedly.

"We're picking Sophie up," Brad said. "Once we leave the park and I'm sure Rebecca and David are getting Dani."

"You got the kitchen sink?" Beckett asked Skye with a smile.

"Luckily, it's enough for all of us," the investigator said as she was holding a plastic 'sink' that looked like Mickey's pants. Mary had one too and they began to split it between their daughters.

"Mommy," Eliza said, tugging on her sleeve after she'd taken a sip of the orange soda and vanilla ice cream float. "Fleur and-"

"They're a little older than you sweetheart," Castle interrupted her that time.

"Keep drinking Eliza," Beckett told the little girl when she pouted. "At least we get to have a float. It tastes like an orangesicle doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Eliza said with a little sigh, knowing she wouldn't be able to protest anymore. She took another sip of the float and then sighed saying, "Sorry Mommy," leaning back against her chest so she could look up at her.

"It's alright, I know you want to stay up but it's late," Beckett assured her. She leaned over and pressing her lips to the top of her head said, "Tomorrow we're all leaving the water park at the same time."

"Oh… cool," Eliza said, smiling when her family laughed a little.

"How's your float?" Jim asked Julia.

"Really good," the girl said with a wide smile as she'd gotten Coke and some strawberry ice cream. "I feel bad though, I'm drinking soda so late."

"You are, but there's about three hours until the park closes," Castle commented. He checked his watch and then said, "Three hours and forty-five minutes."

"Good," Julia said with a smile.

Beckett wasn't surprised at her reaction before she finished the last of the float and when everyone had done so as well she stood up while keeping Eliza in her arms. "We'll say goodnight sweetie and see you for breakfast tomorrow in your room," she told the little girl.

"Good," Eliza said with a sigh. She kissed her cheek before she leaned against her mother and promptly went to sleep.

"Well… I guess that float didn't affect her," Martha said.

"The soda had no caffeine," Beckett said with a smile as she handed her Eliza. She pressed a quick kiss to the little girl's temple and murmured she loved her before stepping back to allow Castle to do the same.

"We're going to go with them," David said to the others. "Just because they have two strollers and Dani too."

"Should we wait for you?" Skye asked.

"No, go ahead and go on whatever you'd like," Rebecca said, holding Dani who was asleep too.

"Text us once you're back," Beckett said before they left with the youngest kids. When they were gone down Main Street she turned to everyone else and said, "What do we go on?"

"I'd say go on the rides like we did yesterday," Alexis said. "Starting with Adventureland first."

"Are we going on the Jungle Cruise?" Jacob asked with a slight groan.

"You don't want to try it at night?" Brad suggested.

"We've been on it at night but not for a while," Mary said when the others looked at her and Skye.

"And remember that the one back in Disneyland's a bit different," the investigator then said.

The kids agreed then and they walked over to the ride, finding there was no line to their delight as it allowed them to look at everything set up as decoration. When they were on their boat they took up the whole thing almost and watched as the lights attached to the outside of the boat lit up the scenes.

"It's interesting," Castle commented.

"It is," Brennan said in agreement. "Though a bit… evil."

"They're making the animals realistic," Lily said with a smile.

That was all anyone could say as the skipper of the boat was speaking that entire time and the adults didn't want to be rude. When they'd returned to the loading platform they found that David and Rebecca were heading back to them and they met up with the couple outside the exit of the ride.

"They're all out," Rebecca said with a smile. "The babies, Dani and Eliza. We were going to help but since they only needed to change Eliza and Josie we came back."

"Good, now we can go on Pirates all together," Mari said, wrapping her arms around her mother tightly.

Heading over to that ride Eve suddenly paused, making the other kids do so before they all seemed to share a look and then turned back to their parents together so she could speak for them all.

"We want to go on Splash Mountain," the teen said firmly.

When the parents didn't say anything Erin said, "Are you not surprised then?"

"Her Irish side," Clara said to the smiles from the other parents at the slight accent the girl took on. "And no we're not sweeting."

"So we can go," Julia stated.

"Yes, let's go," Brad said first. "But are you guys tired of Pirates?"

"Can we save that for later?" Marie said first.

"Of course," Skye said. "And you are tired of it, aren't you?"

"Some of the rides," Mari said.

"Don't worry; that's normal," the investigator told her with a smile. "I went to Disneyland for five days in a row." She wasn't surprised at the shock from everyone else, except for her wife, and told them, "They had tickets for that back… way back. I went with my dad and by the end of that we were tired of everything."

"They still went on rides though," Mary told them as they made it over to Frontierland.

"How many times did you go on the different rides, Skye?" Ivy asked her, holding her hand.

"Over ten times on the big rides," the investigator replied. "And back then there was only Disneyland, so we went on a lot."

"Cool," Julia said. "We're kinda doing that now," she told the other kids.

"Oh yeah," Mari said with a smile. "Just different parks."

"Does that still count?" Fleur asked Alexis who she was walking with.

"It does," the young woman replied, watching her go over to her mothers. "By the way… seating?" she then asked all the parents.

Doing a quick head count Castle said, "There're twenty-six of us so we'll need to split up of course; probably in three boats."

"Go with who you'd like to now," Beckett then said to the kids. She waited to see where Julia would go, not surprised when she went to Mari immediately. Alexis had been with Louis already, so she turned to her husband saying, "I guess we're going again."

"If you want to go with someone else I don't mind," Castle said. "Why not Skye… or your cousin?"

Glancing at the investigator Beckett could see that she was talking to Iris while Mary was with Ivy. When she looked at her cousin she saw he was talking to Erin and she smiled before saying, "I think they have their partners set."

"I can see that too," Castle said. He took her hand and held it tightly before they were reaching the loading platform where they paired off into their three boats. "In the front again," he said when he saw they were going to be in the third boat there.

"Do you mind it?" Beckett asked.

Castle looked at Julia, who was talking excitedly with Mari before getting on a boat and he called to the two saying, "Come with us on our boat."

"Okay," Julia said, looking back at her father. She took Mari's hand and they passed the others before they were allowed to go into the front of the next log. She looked at her friend once they were starting down the track, wondering if she minded leaving her parents who'd been in the boat ahead when the girl merely smiled at her before she spoke hurriedly.

"I don't mind," Mari said. "Remember I went with them yesterday."

"Both of them?" Julia asked as they were going up the first incline then.

"Yep," Mari replied, smiling at her.

"Good," Julia said, smiling back at her parents as she'd managed to go with them both the day before. "Are we gonna go on a slide or something together tomorrow?"  
"I hope!" Mari said.

Beckett wanted to tell the two they'd have that chance but decided she would let them discover it the next day. She turned her attention to the next incline, feeling her husband take her hand and entwine their fingers tightly, squeezing it to let him know she wished they could take the chance to kiss. But she lightly tapped his index finger that her own was near, letting him know that they would have a better chance once they were back at their room.

* * *

"I don't know how you kids did it," David was saying.

"We're not tired," Mari said with a wide smile.

"We are," Lily said. "How long do we have left?"

"About a half hour…" Brennan answered. "Less actually."

"I think Space Mountain was our last ride for the Magic Kingdom," Castle said. When the kids all groaned he couldn't help laughing and he told them, "Guys, you were just talking about being bored with some of the rides."

"Some of them," Kathleen reminded him.

"Still we wanted to take you guys to two of the stores at Main Street," Lily commented. "Unless you don't want to go."

"Well… I guess we could," Eve said jokingly slowly. "What stores?"

"We'll head to them right now," Beckett said, going over to Skye as they all started to walk from Tomorrowland and over to the land at the entry to the park.

"Are you letting them get something?" the investigator asked her friend.

"You mean Julia?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"I suppose Alexis could get something on her own," Skye said in amusement. "But also Eliza."

"We already know what she wants," Castle commented, joining the two. " _Which are we going to first_?" he asked his wife in Irish.

" _The one you wanted to go to_ ," Beckett said. " _But remember, just one thing_."

" _Sure_ ," Castle said with a nod. "Guys," he called ahead to the others. "This way," he told them when they stopped and turned to him.

"Are we going to the candy store?" Fleur asked in shock.

"I think so," Julia said with a smile. "I bet my dad suggested it."

"I wanted to take Jake and Eve too," Brad said.

"Yeah," David replied when the chief looked over at him. "But hey, I'm sure you guys are only going to be allowed one thing each so really choose wisely."

"That and remember it can't be a caramel apple since we're going to other places that have desserts," Castle told them as they'd regrouped together in front of the Main Street Confectionary.

"And stick with an adult!" Mary said as the kids hurried inside the story with the parents, Alexis and Louis following to make sure that they would be with someone since they were stopping and looking over most of the store already.

"Hey Mom," Julia said. "Hey Dad," she added as Castle was joining them.

"These aren't candy," he commented.

"No but I thought Mom would like them," Julia said, handing her mother a package of honey spoons to stir into hot tea.

"I would," Beckett said. "Good eye sweetie. Keep looking though, we have another store."

Julia nodded before she looked to her left and hurried to where there were some bags of blue and pink cotton candy. "I don't want this," she told her parents. "For Lizzy?"

"Alright," Castle said immediately. When he saw the look on his wife's face he said quickly, "We'll tell her that she needs to share it with us."

"Alright," Beckett said as she knew Eliza would have picked that if she was there. "Take that for me?" she asked her husband. When he had the bag of blue cotton candy she went to where there were some bags of popcorn and picked out one of kettle corn. "For my Dad," she told her husband and daughter.

"Oh yeah, he'll like that," Julia said. "But what about you guys?"

"We'll get something, but we'll keep looking," Castle told her before he and Beckett followed her around. "Should I get one of these love?" he asked, holding out an apron.

"No," Beckett said. "You prefer waist aprons."

"Good point," Castle said before he saw Julia was making a beeline for something. He started to follow her when he paused and grabbed something on the way telling his wife when she turned to him, "For Mother, she loves coconut," as he was holding a box of chocolate dipped coconut patties shaped like Mickey. He wasn't surprised when Beckett briefly nodded to him before she went to Julia who was just around the corner from the display of candy.

"Could we get this?" the girl asked, holding a red Mickey shaped cookie cutter.

"Sure," Beckett replied. She followed them around the display again before she stopped the two saying, "I found what I'd like."

"Mind if I take some myself?" Castle asked when he saw she was grabbing a box of shortbread cookies that were dipped in chocolate with Mickey's head on the cookie.

"I'll put them out when we have coffee at night," Beckett told him in amusement.

"But you don't drink coffee," Julia said.

"I'm not right now," Beckett explained. "But when I stop nursing your sister I will. And you two need to pick something out so we can go."

"Right, let's look and see," Castle said before they were walking again. While he was letting Julia look around he was doing the same himself. He paused at some bags that had the Chip and Dale characters on them and said, "Kate we should get one of these; never know when we might need it," holding up one with trail mix.

"Go ahead," Beckett said with a smile before Julia was walking backwards. "Sweetie?" she asked, watching her.

"I want to get this," the girl replied, handing them a bag of gummy candies shaped as Mickey heads. "But could I get something else small? Lizzy's got a lot of cotton candy."

"If it's small we'll see," Beckett told her firmly. She wasn't surprised when the girl made a beeline for the lollipops and she said, "The smaller ones."

"This one," Julia said hopefully, holding up an apple flavored on with Simba on it.

"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh. "But that's it… Rick?"

"Yeah, I got something in mind," Castle said.

Beckett let Julia take her free hand before they went over to the items that were Lion King themed before he picked up a bag. "Rocks?" she asked with a smile.

"They are candies," Castle said, shaking the bag.

"Okay," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "Let's go."

"I'll go," Castle said, attempting to take everything though he soon found he couldn't really do that.

"I'll help you Dad," Julia said quickly, taking her lollipop and bag of gummies.

Watching them go, Beckett felt someone walking up behind her and she looked to see it was her stepdaughter. She smiled and said, "You didn't find anything?"

"I did, some graham crackers but Louis bought them for me," Alexis said, making a brief face.

"Let him in this case," Beckett replied. She smiled when her stepdaughter looked startled and she told her, "Once in a while is nice; was it a smaller box?"

"It's why I let him take it," Alexis said with a smile.

"Good," Beckett said simply before she looked back at her and they both started to laugh.

Shortly after Castle had paid and he let Julia take the bag to carry for a little he saw that everyone in their group was by the registers so they joined them. "We're going over there now?" he asked his wife.

"You sound disappointed," Beckett said with a smile while they were walking outside.

"Well… thank you for letting us go inside," Castle told her.

"You're welcome," Beckett said though she'd wanted to point out she couldn't have really stopped him.

"Do you remember what Eliza said she wanted," Castle asked her.

"I do," Beckett said with a nod. "The Life game."

"Are you going to get that for her?" Alexis asked as she was walking with them. "It said age nine and up."

"How do you know?" Julia asked her big sister in surprise.

Alexis smiled and said, "I was looking at that for you for Christmas. But she would be playing with someone so get it for her."

"Could I get the Clue game?" Julia asked.

"Is that the one thing you'd like?" Castle asked. When Julia nodded he then said, "Your mom and I talked it over and we decided to get you and your sisters t-shirts too, since those you'll use a lot."

"Really?" Julia said. When her parents nodded she said, "Thank you! I know just which one too!"

"Don't run," Castle said, grabbing her arm.

"Sorry, I got excited," Julia said with a soft giggle. "This way," she told them, marching off to where she knew the shirt was. When she found it, she took the first one hanging and gave it to her mother saying, "Is this okay?"

"It is," Beckett replied, studying the jersey looking top that was blue with white stripes on the sleeves and around the neck. Stitch was in the middle in white and when she looked at the back she saw it said, Established 02. "Very nice, let me see how this looks…" she began before holding it up to her. "Let me get the next size so you can wear it a little longer."

"Thank you," Julia breathed eagerly as her father grabbed it. "What're you gonna get?" she asked her big sister.

"I'll see," Alexis said. "What about the games?" she then asked their parents.

"Last," Beckett said first before they were going back over to the entrance. "Now you can get a stuffed animal if you want but your sister was looking at this very longingly."

"I don't," Julia said, taking the small stuffed Pluto character that her mother had grabbed. "But what shirt."

"This one," Castle said, taking a white one of Mickey and Pluto together. "Alexis?"

The young woman smiled at them before she went over to the section that had items that had the Disney villains on them. She took one shirt, a black one with Maleficent on it before she said, "It reminds me of a Mucha painting."

"It does," Beckett said as Castle took the shirt. "Anything else?"

"Oh no, this is enough…" Alexis said. "Well, I did see a picture frame I'd like to have at our place."

"Go get it," Castle said. When she'd left them he then said to his wife, "I bet it's the Haunted Mansion one."

"Good thing we took that picture in front of the ride," Beckett told him before Alexis was coming back and they could see she did have the themed frame. "I'm so glad we thanked the cast member."

"Me too," Alexis said since a man that worked there had taken a picture of their whole family, including Josie when they'd been in front of the mansion for the ride. "What about you both?" she asked her father and stepmother.

"What do you think about mugs?" Castle asked his wife.

Beckett thought about that for a moment and said, "Alright but I'm not sure I'll be able to find anything I like."

"We can try," Castle said before they went together over to the mugs. "Oh, our parents," he told his wife.

"I'll see," Beckett said.

"We can look!" Julia said, talking for herself and Alexis.

"Go look, the park's going to close soon," Castle told them. He watched them leave and he said, "Julia will know what your dad will like right?"

"She might get something a little… cute," Beckett said as their oldest was directing Alexis to a mug that she saw didn't look too colorful or wild. She then turned to her husband and said, "We better get ours," becoming a little startled when he grabbed her hand and then pulled her over to one section of mugs. She quickly spotted one and took it down saying, "I'm surprised."

"I think they know that not everyone wants character mugs," Castle told his wife, studying her choice which had a geometric pattern in blues with Mickeys on it. "And I found mine," he said, pointing out another one with a geometric pattern in dark blue with Mickeys on it as well.

"Hey, you think Gram will enjoy this one?" Alexis said as she and her sister came back to them.

Seeing it was an Eiffel Tower mug, Castle nodded and said, "She'll love it. What did you get for your grandfather."

"This one," Julia said, showing her mother the giraffe sketch mug.

"He'll love it, he does like giraffes," Beckett said with a smile. "Alright, let's get the games and go," she said hurriedly as there was an announcement that the park was going to shortly close. She went first with her husband to the games and they took what the girls wanted before they went to the registers, leaving their daughters at some stuffed animals though she soon could hear them talking with Mari behind them.

"What'd you get?" Julia asked her friend.

"A shirt of the Mad Hatter," Mari said. "But that was it."

"That's still cool," Julia said with a smile. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Me too, did you get a new bathing suit for the trip too?" Mari asked her as Alexis was going over to Louis who was near them.

Nodding Julia said, "I got a two piece one."

"Cool, me too," Mari said before they were laughing together.

"Julia, Mari, let's go," Beckett called to them before the two were hurrying over to them. She took her daughter's hand, Mari going with her parents, before they walked to the exit and headed to the Monorail station. On the ride back to the hotel she was surprised when Julia stayed awake, going over to the other kids to talk to them.

"Hey Mom," the girl said once she was back with her parents. "Is there an extra hour for the water park tomorrow?"

"No, so we'll be able to get a good amount of rest," Castle told her.

"Are we gonna have to wait until morning to show Gram and Grandpapa what we got for them?" Julia then asked.  
"I think you will," Beckett said with a smile. She felt the train stopping so she got up, taking Julia's hand before they stepped out onto the hotel's station.

Once they'd said goodnight to everyone, Castle walked with them to the elevator since they all needed to go to the first floor. There they split up from the McDouglases and McColloughs and he, Beckett, Julia, Alexis and Louis were walking with the Fosters and Davises to their rooms, stopping at the one the girls were sharing with his mother and father in law. He knocked on the door, not surprised someone was opening it soon after.

"Welcome back," Jim said with a smile. "They're all asleep."

"Thank you for taking Dani," Rebecca said going into the bedroom with Lily.

"And Sophie," Brad told them. "Did she fuss at all?"

"Oh no, we just put her in the crib and she-" Martha started to say before she stopped as Beckett went over to the bedroom.

Saying goodbye to Rebecca and Lily, Beckett went over to the crib, looking down at Josie and seeing she was fast asleep she turned to the bed where Eliza was as well. She fixed the sheets over the little girl and then turned to the doorway to see that her husband was there. She realized they needed to let their daughters and parents get some sleep so she went over to the living room and said, "Sorry, I just wanted to check on them. Julia, Alexis? Goodnight and I love you both."

"Night Mom love you too," Julia said. "Today was the best too."

"Good to know," Beckett said with a smile, sharing a kiss with her. She hugged Alexis quickly before kissing her cheeks and letting her stepdaughter do the same to her.

"Love you Kate, Dad," the young woman told them. "We'll be ready for…"

"Breakfast," Castle said, hugging Julia tightly before she told him she loved him. He brought Alexis into the embrace with his other arm before he said, "I love you both, get enough rest for those slides."

"We will," Alexis said, kissing his cheek before she said goodnight and went to the hall to go to the room next door where Louis was waiting.

"We'll be here by eight thirty; wake them up at eight," Beckett told her father and mother in law, hugging them both.

"We'll be ready," Martha said. "Goodnight you two."

Saying a goodnight to them, Castle walked with his wife to their room and once he had locked the door behind him he asked her, "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Beckett said going to her pajamas. "Mind if I request something?"

"Sure," Castle told her, following her.

"Try not to get an erection tomorrow," Beckett told him. "I want to see that at night once we're here," she finished with before walking over to the bed to change there.

Castle didn't say anything, a little startled at her words but quickly recovering as he watched her. He walked swiftly to her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply before she was responding. Though they needed to get some sleep he didn't want to stop and since they had a little extra time he wasn't letting them. He felt a thrill of pleasure as they kissed even harder before he sat on the bed and took her with him.

Forgetting their need for some kind of repose, Castle and Beckett kissed deeply and hungrily, making up for the chances they hadn't had to kiss. And they knew they were also having a slight preview for the next night, needing one another desperately while they clung to the other tightly as they continued feeling and tasting each other for as long as they could.


	7. Below The Storm

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I was happy to read the feedback I got for the last chapter so will go ahead and get started on my thank yous. TORONTOSUN (Great that you liked them acting like kids at Disney World, couldn't see that happening any other way, lol. And it was nice that you liked how they felt after their long day at the park and how they settled down too!),

MsNYC (Glad to read that you thought the first half was great. And I'm really happy you enjoyed the older kids going on their own. To be honest I can't remember when I was on my own in an amusement park… likely at a later age than you since we had to phones or pagers, lol. But yeah, I know how fun it can be to be alone at an amusement park when you're a kid so I definitely had to include that. And I'm really happy you thought the second half was great too. Nice to read you enjoyed the conversations and their interactions with everyone. I'm so pleased you can't wait to read about DWTS in due time as you said, lol. And happy to see you thought it was great writing as usual!),

Mb (Great that you loved seeing them having a fun time at the Magic Kingdom park. And those rides are fun; I've been on the ones at Disneyland so I'm saying that knowing for sure, lol; and yeah, you're right the lines aren't fun too. And I was really confused when you mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy in both your reviews as there isn't a ride that exists yet at Epcot for that movie. There is eventually going to be, but not yet for a few years at least. So did you mean Test Track? Since right now that's the closest thing Epcot has to a roller coaster and it isn't exactly a roller coaster, it's called a slot car ride apparently. But I have seen the topiary of the park though I must confess I focused on other stuff when writing about it, lol, you'll see. I was happy to see you loved seeing the older kids going on their own on the rides while they contacted their parents to let them know where they were. And great you thought it was a fun look at the kids and adults having fun. You're welcome for the first half! Happy to read you thought the second half was a sweet and fun update. I'm glad you see they're really enjoying themselves and are having so much fun together since I really did want to convey that. And I'm putting the short lines in the mornings- the 'magic hour'- and then I made up this sort of front of the line ticket or pass or whatever because writing about them writing in line constantly doesn't really work, lol. But believe me, I know how Disney ride lines can be so I'm taking a big artistic license with that one, lol. And yeah, best time to go on rides is the parades, that's when I run around for the good rides and get short lines. And yeah, the Fast Pass system can have its limitations unless you know tricks for it, lol. I went on Soarin' myself in Disney's California Adventure, but before they changed it to the world which is the version they have now, but it was nice though I'm afraid of heights- I went on the lower level of the seating luckily. But still confused about the Guardians ride you were talking about. Great you thought they got fantastic gifts, it was fun choosing those on the official site for Disney World. And you didn't miss it, but Josie will get her souvenirs when she's awake, lol. I wish I was with them too, lol, so I know how you feel about wanting to do that. And not surprised you're still jealous of them, I am too, and I've read this story a couple times already for editing, lol. So pleased to see you thought they were fun chapters! And you're welcome for the second half too!) and

vetgirlmx (Really great to see you thought it was a very, very good chapter. And I'm glad that it was different though they'd been to the same park the day before. I'm happy that you loved the kids going on their own and had to laugh at you mentioning they didn't have to go on the slow rides since they weren't with the younger kids. I'm not surprised you laughed at them going on the ride though they all hate the song, lol. And I figured they'd enjoy being on the boat all together, so that's why they enjoyed that ride. Yeah, since they had to wait until after lunch to go on the faster rides anyway they might as well go on that one, lol. And yeah, they went on Splash Mountain several times, I figured they'd go on the bigger rides a few times, lol. But I've done that going to Disneyland, going on some rides multiple times so not surprised I wrote that in to the last chapter. I wish I'd had more space to write about the younger kids' day, but I did want to focus on the older ones since it was the first time they were doing that. But yeah, they had fun with the parents, of course, lol. Great you found it cute that Eliza wants Alexis to call Jim grandpapa and Beckett mom, but yeah I figure for her since she's her sister she wanted them all together in one family. I laughed when you said she makes the moment awkward unknowingly but you're right about that, lol. I'm really happy that Typhoon Lagoon sounds really fun for the next day and that you can't wait to see what they do in that park and now you don't need to wait for that anymore!).

Thanks so much for the feedback for the last chapter, I loved reading it all and I am grateful for the time taken to write it out and send it to me!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Octopus's Garden_ by Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr), from The Beatles album _Abbey Road_.

Below The Storm

"Thank you so much," Martha was saying to her family. "This is a wonderful mug."

"Julia found it," Alexis said. "And yours too Jim."

"Thank you," he said as he hugged his granddaughter who was standing next to him. "I'll use this very gladly. Eliza? You're going to set your cotton candy on fire."

Giggling, the little girl put down the bag and said, "I want some."

"We only just had breakfast sweetie," Beckett told her. "Another time; you want to go don't you?"

"Yeah," Eliza replied. "I can't take Pluto with me, can I?"

"I don't think he'll want to get wet," Alexis said gently with a smile.

"Oooh… kay Pluto you have to stay," Eliza said, kissing the top of the stuffed dog's head. She went over to the bed she was sharing with Jim and set the dog there before she hurried to where her mother was about to give Josie to Castle as the baby had finished nursing.

"Here," Jim said, walking over to his daughter to take his youngest granddaughter.

"When Josie's ready," Beckett said, handing the baby to him once Castle had put a towel on his shoulder. "We need to be ready to go."

"I'm really ready," Julia said immediately and with a smile.

"Me too," Eliza said eagerly. "I wanna see the slides."

"We will," Castle said before they saw Jim was walking over to them. "Is she finished?" he asked in surprise as he hadn't been burping the baby for that long.

"No, I'm walking around," Jim replied with a slight smile. "Also, I wanted to ask are they meeting us at the station?"

"They'll wait for us at the elevator to it," Beckett told her father. She smiled and then said, "Are you ready?"

"I am," Jim replied with a nod. He sat down at the table where they'd eaten breakfast and said, "How late are we staying though? If you're there at eight she's going to need to be back here."

"It depends," Castle commented, finishing with sunscreen on Eliza's face. "She's ready love."

"She is," Beckett said as the little girl was crossing her eyes. "Get Josie's bag for us?" When she'd gone over to the cabinet where the microwave was she said to her mother in law, "Everything is ready; it's a little heavy since we put her extra swim suit and more diapers in there."

"She'll be alright," Martha said. "And I think she's ready to go now as well."

Seeing that she was right, Castle hurried to get the carrier on the table for Jim to set Josie in and as soon as the baby was ready he took Julia's hand and once the girls; including Alexis; had their drawstring backpacks on he was first to leave the room.

"I'm really excited Dad, we've never gone to somewhere like this before," Julia said. "Well… do the baths in Japan count?"

"Not really, no slides," Castle told her, squeezing her hand firmly.

"Will the youngest kids have places to go?" Julia asked him.

"Of course, everyone's got the chance to do something they like," Castle replied.

"What about Gram?" Eliza asked, walking with Alexis behind them.

"Oh, a nice drink by the water with little Josie and I will be very happy," Martha commented.

"Will you go on something?" Eliza said as they were nearing the elevator.

"I may," Martha replied. "It depends on what there is."

Since they were greeting everyone Castle didn't have the chance to tell her there were smaller slides. But since they would be near them he knew his mother would have the chance to see them. He then went with part of the others into the car while the other half waited. While they were waiting on the station he asked his wife in Irish, " _We can go on the rides with rafts with both of them, right_?"

" _We can_ ," Beckett replied with a smile. "Okay?" she said, speaking in English.

"I am," Castle assured her as he was wearing his trunks and his brace was visible. "You?"

Giving him a look, Beckett turned at Skye calling to her and she went over saying, "Need something?"

"No, just wondering about your cover up," the investigator said.

"Did you not bring any?" Beckett said in surprise.

"I have on already," Skye said with a smile.

"Alright," Beckett replied. She was smiling herself as Skye just looked at her and was about to speak when her friend hurriedly did so in Russian.

" _Do you have anything to cover up_?" Skye asked.

At first Beckett was wondering why she had asked before she glanced over at her husband and saw Castle was glancing over at her though he was talking to Brad and Brennan. " _I don't but that's just my personal preference_ ," she told the investigator.

" _And will he be able to handle himself_?" Mary asked, walking over.

" _Did you guys talk about that_?" Beckett said teasingly.

" _It came up what all the wives were going to do to make sure their husbands didn't really get too_ …" Skye began before she stopped. " _I have no idea how to finish that_."

" _I told him to behave himself_ ," Beckett said with a smile. " _But I'm sure we're going to be very busy, especially with the kids_."

" _I looked at a map of the park_ ," Mary suddenly said, still speaking in Russian. " _It's not that big_."

" _We all knew that but didn't tell them_ ," Beckett replied. " _I'm sure they'll be happy with what there is but as to how long we'll stay_ …" She wasn't surprised when the women nodded and then went over to their daughters as the monorail was approaching. She went back to her family before the train stopped in front of them and once they were inside and sitting down she said, "What is it Eliza?"

"How long does it take to go?" the little girl asked.

"Not as long as it took to get to the Magic Kingdom," Castle said, watching Eliza looking out the windows.

"And we're going in the opposite direction," Julia commented.

"Cool," Eliza said, her eyes on the view still.

Julia looked up at her mother, who smiled at her, before she looked out too, watching everything they were passing. She then realized why it looked so familiar and she asked, "Are we going the same way to Disney Springs?"

"It's by that," Beckett said, not surprised she'd noticed. "But we're going to stay at the park."

Julia nodded and glanced back out the window before she saw something in the distance which made her say, "Is that a boat? I thought I saw it the other day."

"It is," Beckett said.

"And that's Typhoon Lagoon," Castle added, looking over at Alexis who'd stayed with them.

"Do we get to go on the boat?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"I don't think so," Castle told her. "But we'll be able to get close to it I'm sure."

"We don't have our cameras Dad," Alexis pointed out to him.

Laughing Julia said, "We have Dad's phone… and Mom's too."

"Let's focus on the slides and then worry about pictures," Beckett told them as the train was coming to a stop.

Eliza tried to stay with her family as they were getting ready to leave but she was soon pulling at her father's hand hard before he stopped her. "Sorry Daddy," she said a little sheepishly, smiling at him.

"Don't worry," Castle said, picking her up. "We're almost there." Since the station was very close to the entrance they were soon walking inside the park, having their tickets ready. They went to the nearest changing and locker rooms where he and Jim split up from their family and went with the men to their room where David got their attention before they could take off their shirts and stow them away.

"Hey, did your guys' wives talk to you?" the mayor asked the other husbands.

"Yeah… you guys too?" Brad said in surprise.

"Yes, but keep it down lads," Brennan said as he saw his son and Jim were walking over to them.

"What?" Louis asked, startled.

"Wait, where's my son?" Brad asked.

"I'm here," Jacob said, walking over to them. "I went outside."

"Why'd you do that?" Brad said, squeezing his shoulder.

"To see if Mom was there, so I can put sunscreen on," Jacob replied as they were leaving the room then. "But she's not, what's taking so long?"

"They need to get ready more than we did," Castle commented. "But they're ready now," he said quickly when he saw Skye was coming out with Ivy and Iris.

"Just us," the investigator said. "But they're coming along behind us."

When everyone else had joined them, Castle held up the map to the park and said, "Who'll be picking out where we go and are we going all together?"

"We probably should," Clara commented. "It's a family vacation, isn't it?"

"So the rest of us should just buzz off?" Mary asked in amusement.

"No," Beckett said with a laugh. "And we should let the kids pick. And once we go through the whole park we could split up. But first…"

"Right," Castle said when his wife looked at him pointedly. "A quick stop before we head to the slides." He then led the way over to the large pool that they'd all seen in the middle of the park before he started looking at the cabanas that were scattered around it.

"This one," Beckett said, seeing the number on the cabana that looked like it was made from bamboo.

"Martha, if there's anything we can do for you at all please let us know," Lily said as she was setting down Sophie's carrier on the second chez lounge in the middle of the space the cabana had.

"Well some parking tickets I have…" Castle's mother said jokingly.

"Oh no, I can't abuse my power like that with the mayor right here," Brad said laughingly, standing up after he'd kissed the top of Sophie's forehead once the carrier was on one of the two high chairs.

"Better ask for some shoes Mother," Castle said teasingly.

"No, no, just go and have fun and make sure my son doesn't get out of control," Martha said, smiling at Castle when he looked at her once she'd spoken.

"Come on Rick," Beckett told her husband as she stood up after kissing their baby. "Say goodbye to her for now," she said as she tugged on his arm.

"We'll be back to check on you," Castle said to Josie who was staring at him with wide eyes. "But while we're gone have fun with your friend." He smiled when the baby cooed at him before he leaned over and kissed her forehead. He watched with his wife and mother as Josie's sisters kissed her and promised her they'd go on a water slide of some sort when she was old enough to join them. "Have fun Mother," he said as they were leaving.

"I will," Martha said, smiling as she watched them go to the short slides she could see to the left. She then heard a wave breaking in front of them and turning to the babies she said, "It looks like Richard got us a wonderful view." Checking on the two she saw that Sophie was nodding off while Josie was moving her hands in the air a little. She gave her granddaughter her stuffed giraffe and turned back to the surf pool to watch for her family at the slides.

"These slides are for anyone 5 feet tall or less," Beckett was saying to the kids. "So that leaves out us parents and you Alexis and Louis. And I think you two," she said, finishing by looking at Jacob and Eve.

"It does look like a baby slide," the former said, looking at the short ones.

"Hey, some of us can still go on them," Julia protested as she knew she was an inch away from five feet tall.

"And they're a good start," Marie said, the other younger kids nodding.

"Especially for Dani," Rebecca said, coming back to them with a vest a cast member had given her. "Let her go first since she's going to be with Martha."

"Thanks for the location by the way," David said to Castle and Beckett.

"Thank him," the latter said with a smile. "He asked for that one specifically."

"It needed to be closer to that water," Castle said. "And Dani will listen to my mother, right?"

"Oh, she will," Rebecca said. "She knows if she doesn't she doesn't get to go to the part of the park just for the little kids."

Beckett felt Eliza taking her hand then and smiled at the little girl as they all watched Dani sit down at the top of one of the two slides that were called Bay Slides. She wasn't surprised when the toddler was a little hesitant as the slide had a 'barrel' at the start for a very short tunnel but with David in the Surf Pool coaxing her she soon pushed down the slide and she laughed as Dani was nearly screaming before she splashed into the water. She was about to ask the mayor if his youngest had liked it when he was carrying her out and laughing as he did so.

"She's saying she wants to go on it again," David was finally able to say.

"Can I go on Mommy?" Eliza asked her.

"Hold on, you all need to take turns," Skye said as hers and Mary's five daughters were each saying they should go first. "And we'll go in order of age so-"

"Wait," Julia said hurriedly. "Could I go with my sister and race her? I won't go again." She was relieved when the others nodded, and she took Eliza's hand and they hurried over to the tops of the slides. "Can we go at the same time?"

"Of course, but someone needs to wait for you at the end," the cast member told Eliza.

Turning to where their parents had been standing Eliza saw that their father was gone before she looked at the pool. She waved at Castle, at the end of the slide, before she sat on the slide with the barrel and Julia was on the one next to her. She waited eagerly for her sister to count down before she pushed herself down. She squealed at the curve before she was splashing down into the water.

"I'm guessing you liked that?" Castle asked as he was quick to pick up the little girl and make sure that Julia was alright.

"Yeah, but I can go on the big slides, right?" Eliza asked.

"Some of them," Castle assured her.

"Are we going to do that now Dad?" Julia asked him as they rejoined Beckett. "Go on what she can?" Something came to her then and she said, "But Dani isn't going to be able to go too," looking between her parents.

"No but like they said Dani can go in the water in front of your gram," Castle said.

"And there are rides we can go four at a time," Beckett then said.

"That Lizzy can go on?" Julia asked.

"There are two of them," Castle replied with a nod. He then smiled at the little girl who was looking at them with wide eyes and said, "There are, and we'll go on those first."

"What about Dani?" Eliza then asked them.

"Well… that's more up to David and Rebecca," Beckett said, looking at the latter who was near them.

"You said it said all ages," Rebecca replied.

"Yes, but you wouldn't be able to hold onto her," Castle told her.

"We'll go on it and if we think it's too much for Ruby then she'll stay with Martha," Rebecca said.

Eliza didn't think that was very fair, but her mother squeezed her hand and she smiled up at her before she heard Mari's cry as she was going down the slide. "Is that it?" she asked.

"Do you want to go again?" Beckett asked her in amusement.

"No, I wanna go on the other slides," Eliza said. She was pleased when they headed back to the Surf Pool since she knew they were going to the slides. But she felt bad for Dani and she let go of her mother's hand, running over to the toddler and taking her free hand tightly as David looked down at them.

"You'll have fun with Martha," the mayor said to his daughter.

"And babies?" Dani asked.

"I think so, but there is water in front of you," Castle commented.

"Does she have a vest?" Lily asked Rebecca as they were nearing the cabana.

"She does, she needs to wear it when Martha says," the woman told her daughter firmly though she was smiling at her at the same time.

"I see you've already gotten your first taste of the slides here," Martha said as she got up from the chez lounge she was reclining on. "And you've had fun?"

"Yeah! We're gonna go on a family slide now," Eliza told her.

"Oh? Then why didn't you go there first?" Martha asked.

"We're dropping off Dani with you," David said as he went to the bag with his family's things. He got the small vest for the toddler and handed it to Martha saying, "She needs to wear this if she's going in there."

"Of course," Castle's mother replied with a nod. "We'll step in the water now Dani."

"They're asleep?" Brad asked, nodding to the cabana.

"They are so I've been having a very peaceful time," Martha said with a smile, hugging Eliza who was next to her.

"Alright, if anything happens…" Castle started to say before he paused.

"I'll get help from the cast members," Martha replied. "Go, have fun." She smiled when they left, Rebecca and David glancing back once before they were heading back in the direction they'd gone to for the kid slides. She then turned to Dani and said, "Now we can try this water and see how nice it is," not surprised when the little girl immediately reached up to take her hand so they could walk in the water close to the cabana and the babies while their families and friends went to their slide.

"Do we have to take this?" Eliza asked, seeing her father was taking one of the inner tubes at the end of the Gangplank Falls slide.

"Yep, it's what we're going to ride on," Julia told her before they started walking through their line with the others. She looked behind them and saw Alexis was with Louis and Jim and she said, "Are you gonna go together?"

"Yeah, are you scared?" Alexis asked her little sister teasingly.

"No, I can't wait!" Julia said eagerly.

"Turn around sweetie," Beckett said with a smile as she saw her oldest was walking backwards.

When they reached the water soon after, Eliza was directed into their inner tube first before Julia followed with Beckett and Castle quickly getting in. She looked at the crates and barrel where they were stopped as the Davises went down the ride ahead of them. "Why don't we go?" she asked her parents.

"We will in a second, hold on," Beckett told her with a smile. "Hold onto the handles sweetie."

Julia looked over at her sister as she was quick to do that before their inner tube was suddenly starting to spin as the cast member at the loading point spun it. They started down the water and she looked across at her family before her dad looked ahead of them and whistled.

"Someone's going to get wet," Castle commented with a laugh.

"We could turn," Beckett said quickly as she'd seen the waterfall as well. And right as she said that, the tube was turning, putting Eliza and Castle right under the water.

"I shouldn't have said that," Castle said once they were past it.

"I know," Beckett said with a smile as they were passing under some rock formations before Eliza was pointing.

"Are they gonna blow it up?" the little girl cried.

"I don't think so," Beckett said before Julia was crying out at the water splashing as they were bumping against some obstacles. But shortly after they were reaching the end of the ride and she and Castle hurried out to help their daughters.

"Is that it?" Julia asked in surprise as they walked through the pool of water to get out of it.

"It is, these rides aren't going to last too long," Castle said, setting Eliza on the ground outside the pool. "We are going through water."

"We can go on another ride now right?" the little girl asked.

"Definitely," Castle told her. "But it's a little bit of a walk."

"I have my squishy shoes," Eliza said, shaking her foot out in front of her.

"We see," Beckett said before she saw that the Davises were waiting for them.

"Short," Lily said.

"The kids said?" Castle asked. When his friend nodded he said, "Julia did too, but hey that means we can go on them a lot."

"What about the pool?" Eve said.

"What about it?" Brad said, looking down at his and Lily's oldest.

"You can surf-" the teen started to say before everyone else was starting to join them. She didn't get an answer to her question as they were soon making their way across the park to the other family ride. She was about to ask again when Erin was asking her parents something she realized she'd been wondering about as well hearing about a second family ride.

"Is this one going to be four of us together too?" the girl asked.

"It is, should we sit with the same people?" Brennan asked.

"As quick as these rides are," Lily said. "We'll have chances to go with everyone."

They had made it to the Miss Adventure Falls slide by then and went through the line until they got into the water, getting on the orange inner tubes before they were going down the river to a conveyor.

"That looks like it takes a long time," Julia said as she was looking up the belt and could see how far up they were going to go. "There isn't a big drop is there?"

"If your sister can go on this I don't think so," Castle commented. "And we saw some kids getting off the inner tubes remember," he then said to Eliza as she looked a little scared.

"It'll be alright sweetie," Beckett said reassuringly to her.

Nodding, the little girl looked to her left up the conveyor belt and then said, "Will it be fast?"

"Probably, remember we're going on water," Castle told her. He laughed when she wrinkled her nose before she looked up and cried out. "It's okay," he said quickly when he saw the crane with a crate hanging above the belt. "That won't fall."

"It's just to tease us," Julia said.

"She's right, they won't hurt the riders," Beckett said gently.

Eliza nodded before she looked at the crane and crate as they neared it, but she soon saw something beyond that and turned to look at her parents with wide eyes.

"That's the start of the slide," Beckett told her as they could see a tunnel. "When we get there hold onto the handles really tight."

Julia, seeing her sister nodding rapidly, hoped she would be alright as they were nearing the top. Glancing at her mother, she saw Beckett was studying the little girl too but they got to the very top and she waved to the cast member that was under an umbrella there before they got to the slide itself.

Beckett couldn't help laughing slightly when they went past four jets of water before they were entering the tunnel, seeing some blue lights ahead which was a relief as she knew Eliza would enjoy those. After they'd gone around the curve they continued to do so though it never got fully dark which she was relieved about as well since the little girl was crying out with them until they came out of the tunnel through some falling water. "Okay?" she asked Eliza.

The little girl didn't have a chance to answer as they were going down slightly before going back and forth on the water. Eliza couldn't help squealing on the slight drops though she was enjoying them greatly. She smiled at her father when he chanced a squeeze to her hand and she looked ahead seeing they were approaching another tunnel. She did her best not to be scared and seeing the purple colored lights in it helped though seeing daylight very shortly after did much more.

Running his hand over his hair when they left the tunnel under more water, Castle laughed with his wife and daughters as they reached another drop before they were going back and forth. They were all suddenly wet when they reached something on the side of the slide that looked like a fountain and was overflowing with water. But after another turn and a small drop they were coming down into the pool at the end of the slide to the groans of disappointment from the girls which made him laugh with his wife.

"We'll go on something else soon you guys," Beckett said. "Actually, right now." She wasn't surprised when the girls looked at each other but they couldn't ask what she meant as they were getting off the inner tube to leave the pool at the end of the ride.

"What'll we do next?" Castle said when they were reunited with all their family and friends.

"There's a slide right here," Jacob pointed out.

"It's the Crush 'n' Gusher," Castle commented as he looked at the map he had in his waterproof pocket. "But there's a height restriction, 48 inches."

"I'm too small?" Eliza asked.

"Four inches too small," Beckett said. "I'll stay with you, there's a beach-"

"I can stay with her Katie," Jim interrupted. "And anyone else who is too short."

"Fleur, _mon petite_ ," Skye said, cupping the back of her head with her hand. She smiled when the little girl looked up and her and said, "I'm sorry but you're just a bit too short."

"Oh…" Fleur said before she looked at her younger sisters.

"They're tall enough," Mary said, going over to her and kissing the top of her head. "But you'll help Jim, right?"

"There's a beach?" Jim asked his daughter.

Nodding Beckett told the others, "Let's drop them off there first and look at the slides." Before anyone could say anything to that she and Castle started to walk over to the beach by the ride, not surprised when her cousin caught up to her, touching her arm to get her attention.

"You said a beach?" Brennan asked.

"I did," Beckett replied with a smile. "But there isn't really sand, just a pool. I don't think Eliza or Fleur will mind."

Hearing the two cries of joy shortly after behind them Brennan said, "I think that's a no."

"We can swim here?" Fleur asked her mothers.

"Of course, we'll be coming down from the slides here," Castle said, pointing out some people coming out from the slide.

Gasping Julia said, "Three can go on?"

"Yeah, we were going to tell you," Castle said. "You're coming with me and your mom… if they let me go with you guys."

"They will," Beckett said. "Eliza," she called. When the little girl hurried over to her she said, "Have fun and listen to your grandpapa… actually you should have a vest on."

"No!" Eliza protested. "I can swim now Mommy and I'll be very good."

"They'll both be fine," Jim told his daughter.

"Have fun," Eliza said to everyone once they'd said goodbye to the three of them and were leaving. "I wanna see when they come into the pool," she told Fleur.

"Me too," the little girl said with a nod before they then splashed into the water, giggling together while Jim was swift to follow.

"There are three slides," Eve said in surprise as they came to three separate lines.

"Banana Blaster," Marie read, giggling.

"We're going on Coconut Crusher," Castle said quickly. "If you guys don't mind."

"We don't, but don't pronounce it coke-e-nuts," Beckett said.

"That's how they did it on MST3K," Brad said. "And we'll go after you guys."

"Let's just go all together," Skye suggested. "On all three for now, Fleur wouldn't mind I know she's happy in the water right now."  
"Eliza is, let's go," Beckett said as there were several people coming up behind them.

"Do you need help?" Julia asked her father as she walked next to him.

"It's not that heavy," Castle assured her as he was holding the raft they'd need.

"But there's room for more," Julia pointed out.

"I'm fine," Castle said with a smile at her before they started up the stairs.

Taking Julia's hand so she would be out of the way of him, Beckett preceded Castle with the girl up to the top. She felt her squeezing her hand and she said, "Are you nervous this time?"

"Sorta, I never went on a water roller coaster before," Julia said.

"Do you want me to go in front?" Beckett asked.

"This time?" Julia said hopefully. When her mother nodded she smiled at her and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, come on," Beckett said as Skye was going down the start of the ride with Ivy and Iris. They were gestured to the conveyor belt that the cast member standing next to set their raft on and she saw it read pineapples and coconuts on the side before she was getting in the front. She watched Julia sit behind her and Castle got in the last space before they were moving and going over the edge as their oldest was crying out behind her. She was worried it was out of fear at first since the drop was a little steep but when she heard Julia whooping she was laughing as they shot up into the first tunnel.

Surprised at how forceful they'd been pushed up the incline, Castle soon realized why that was as they seemed to be racing through the tunnel. They went left and right before going down again and up an incline to yet another tunnel. He let out a short yell there as they just went down into another incline, hearing Julia laugh in front of him which had been his aim. He wanted to see her reactions; not just hear them; but had to content himself with hearing her while they went into another tunnel.

Turning to the right the entire time, Julia was tempted to groan in disappointment when they were soon coming down into the pool at the bottom. But she shortly after saw someone to their left and said, "There's Lizzy and Grandpapa."

Glancing over Beckett saw that the two were at the buoys marking the split in the pool before she got off the inner tube first. She waited to make sure that no one was coming out of the slide closest there before she went over to the two. "It was fun but a little too much for you sweetie," she said, kissing Eliza as her father was holding her up in the water while she tread in it.

"You were having fun," the little girl said with a smile. "Are you gonna go on again?"

"To the other two slides; there are three," Julia explained, watching their father kiss her little sister. "Are you having fun here?"

"Kinda," Eliza said truthfully. "There are lots of people here."

"I know but we'll try and find a slide for you after this," Castle told her.

"Kay," Eliza said with a smile.

Saying goodbye to the two, Julia swam over to the steps with her parents so they could go back into line saying, "What slide can we go on now?"

"Why don't you pick?" Beckett asked her.

"Banana Blaster!" Julia said eagerly.

"She's been thinking about that for a while," Castle commented as they went over to the line and made their way back up to the top. As they were waiting in line to get to the conveyor he felt Julia grab his hand and looked down at her, seeing she wasn't looking at him though she still spoke.

"Can I sit in the front?" Julia said.

"Actually, I'd prefer you sit in the middle," Beckett told her before her husband could answer. "Just while we're with you."

"Oh… I did want to go on one of these with Mari," Julia said. She smiled at her parents and said, "We can go on our own, right?"

"We'll see how that goes," Beckett said, cupping the back of her head before they were walking to the conveyor. She was pleased to see the excitement on Julia's face that time and she sat in the front again and she looked back at her oldest, watching her almost bounce onto it before they were ready and heading down an incline again.

* * *

"Luckily this place is so close to that cabana," David commented.

"I looked into it," Castle said. "Which I'm sure isn't a surprise to you guys."

"Not in the slightest."

"Nope."

"Would have been shocked if you hadn't," David, Brad and then Brennan had said. "What?" the last said.

"I guess you've gotten to know me," Castle said with a slight laugh.

"Your daughter said you like to do that," Brennan said. "So, we've gone through everything but the area for the littlest kids and that creek going around… It is a creek, right?"

"Castaway Creek, I saw the sign," Brad said. "But really, you looked into this place and it's small."

"Have your kids asked to go on their own at all?" Castle replied.

"Ah, true," Brad said slowly.

"Oh…" Brennan said before he spoke in Irish.

"I know," Castle said seriously, nodding his head.

"Guys, that's unfair," Skye said, as she was with them but just listening to their conversation. "He said wife should take care," she then told Brad. "Bit of a creepy face let's hope Lily finds that attractive," she said as she was circling her face with an index finger.

Laughing as they moved to get their orders that were being called, Castle was first to head back to the cabana. His wife met him when he was close, and he said, "I ordered first… for some weird reason. And Alexis' food is with Brennan's family."

"Good, the girls are starving," Beckett said, taking two of the plates as they had drinks in the cabana already. "And already asking about dessert."

"You said you were okay getting them that on this trip," Castle told her as he followed her.

Beckett sighed and said, "Alright but when we get to DC…"

"Flowers," Castle said. He couldn't help laughing slightly as both his wife and their daughters; since they'd reached the tables under the umbrella he'd reserved with the cabana; all looked at him in shock. "I'm kidding, but we'll eat a lot healthier."

"We know," Eliza said.

"Don't sit yet," Beckett said, setting down the two plates in a rush and taking the towel her father was holding. She wrapped it around the little girl and started to dry her before she let her sit down.

"What did you get?" Julia asked as she watched her father take a plate into the cabana where Martha was sitting to eat her lunch.

"Some chicken with rice and beans; it has plantain if you two want some," Beckett said, sitting with her daughters and father before Castle came back to them.

"I do," Eliza said eagerly. She then looked around and asked, "Where's mine?"

"You got something special," Castle said. "This is yours," he said, handing over the sand pail with a shovel. He shared a look with his wife at their middle daughter's squeal of excitement before she was looking inside.

"What about you Dad?" Alexis said, standing at the table.

"The island burger," Castle said.

"Did all the guys get that?" Alexis asked wryly.

"We did, someone ahead of us recommended it," Castle said. "And I told you that was supposed to be good."

"Just eat," Beckett said, shaking her head as Alexis left them to go over to Louis and his family.

"Why doesn't Josa come over here?" Eliza asked.

"She's keeping your gram company," Castle answered before his wife could. "And she'll be asleep very soon."

"Are we done with the park?" Julia asked suddenly after she'd finished her bite of cheese pizza her mother had allowed her to get.

"One more thing," Castle said.

"And after we'll let you kids go on your own," Beckett replied.

"Do we have to go all together?" Julia asked.

"Is that what you guys were talking about in the water?" Beckett said.

"Yeah, me and Mari wanna go on our own," Julia said.

"No one else?" Castle asked her. He smiled when the girl pretended to think before he said, "You don't have to, I'm just making sure."

"No, Eve and Jake are gonna go on their own… they want to go on the Kowabunga slide again," Julia said, making a slight face.

"I do too," Castle commented.

"Screaming like a little girl," Beckett murmured, looking away from him. When she felt his hand squeeze her thigh firmly under the table she gave him a look before she said, "If we go on our own we're racing this time."

"You're on," Castle said quickly.

"Can I watch?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"I can go with her," Jim said.

"Are you enjoying this Dad?" Beckett asked him.

"I am but I'm really eager to be with my granddaughters on the creek," Jim replied, motioning to it. "Well, except for Josie of course."

Laughing with the girls Becket had them go back to eating and she said, "Then we have our plans set for after the ride. Eliza, we can take you to your part of the park after our race." She smiled when the little girl wriggled a little and leaned over to kiss the top of her head before they went back to their meal so they could finish going through the park and start going on the slides all over again.

* * *

"Stay on your inner tube Eliza," Castle told the little girl.

"I wanna go like you are Daddy," she replied.

"Better you lay on it," Castle said with a smile. He looked over at his wife and said, "How're you doing love?"

"I'm fine," Beckett said with a smile, leaning over on her inner tube. They were going around Castaway Creek with everyone after lunch before they would split up. She looked over at Julia who was at the front of their family and she called, "Having fun?"

"Yeah, can I go under?" Julia asked.

"Sure, but very quickly," Beckett told her. She smiled when her oldest ducked through the middle of her inner tube and then swam ahead. She pushed the empty tube with her hand until they reached where the girl had stopped and said, "Do you know what you and Mari will do first?"

"I think the Pineapple Plunger," Julia said thoughtfully. "And then the other two. We can go on everything right? Except the Kowabunga one."

"If David and Rebecca say it's okay you can," Beckett said before she saw the steps where they'd entered the creek. She got out of the inner tube and after making sure that Julia was alright she handed her inner tube to someone coming down into the water, turning with her daughter to watch Castle, Eliza and her father walking up to them.

"Dessert!" Eliza said eagerly as she was throwing her arms around her mother.

Beckett couldn't help laughing and she ran her hand over the back her head before she said, "I'm not surprised you remembered. And yes, we can get dessert now."

"We're going to let the kids get their dessert," Brad commented. "And we'll get our own."

Seeing the others agreeing with the chief, Beckett said, "Then I guess this is where we split up."

"You can go with them," David said as they were walking back to the cabana since Mari had been about to speak. "I'll give you guys some money-" he started to say when they were close.

"We're getting something she can share with us," Castle interrupted his friend. "You don't need to worry."

"Are we finished for the rest of the day going together?" Skye asked then as they'd all returned to where Martha was with the napping babies, reading a book.

"I think so, is anyone thinking of staying until eight?" Beckett asked.

"I guess that's a no," Brennan said with a smile as no one responded to the question for a while. He looked back at his cousin and told her, "Have you thought on what you'd like to do after?"

"We want to try the other place at our hotel, _Jiko_ ," Castle said.

"We did too… should we go as a group? Does anyone have an objection to that?" Lily said. She couldn't help smiling at the fact that no one was responding and said, "I guess that's a yes. So how long were you thinking of staying?"

"We could stay until five or six," Castle said first, checking his watch and seeing it was twelve thirty. "So that gives us either five and a half or four and a half hours. I was thinking of taking our girls to the arcade they have at our hotel."

"I think we'll join you," Skye said in amusement as hers and Mary's daughters were gasping.

"We should just all go," David said as some of the other kids were asking to go then.

"We will," Brennan said.

"Us too," Brad added. "We're all set? Martha, how're you doing?"

"Splendid," Castle mother replied. "I'm enjoying my vacation greatly."

"Good to hear," Lily said, peering at the carrier where Sophie was.

"They're fine, fast asleep," Martha said with a smile as Beckett looked at Josie shortly after.

"We'll let you go on the creek here Mother, I'm not sure when that will be," Castle said.

"I wanna go with Gram," Eliza said, tugging her mother's hand.

"We'll try to let you do that later," Beckett said. "For now, let's go ahead and say goodbye to everyone." After they'd rejoined the others they were splitting up for dessert first, she and Castle going with their daughters and Jim over to where they would be getting theirs.

"Grandpapa?" Julia asked as they were waiting for her parents outside the building where the ice cream was. "Do you want to go on the slides again? You can come with us."

"I'm going to go around with Eliza," Jim said, wrapping his arm around her and squeezing her shoulder. "But thank you for offering. What're you two going to go on once we split up?"

"I think the Keelhaul Falls," Julia said, looking at the map that Mari was holding open for her.

"Yeah, they're really close," the girl said, smiling at her. "And then go around that way?"

Julia nodded before she saw her parents were coming over to them and she looked at her friend in surprise as they were carrying two sand pails that had whipped cream on the top. "That's our dessert?" she asked eagerly.

"It is, these are a little expensive so I hope you don't mind sharing with us Dad," Beckett told her father.

"I'll be right back," Jim said with a smile. "Share that between yourselves."

"Where did he go?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"I think he's going to get a cone," Castle commented. "Well… let's dig in so we can get going on those rides again." He wasn't surprised when the three girls immediately started on their sundae in the blue pail before he ate the other with Beckett and Eliza and Jim eventually rejoined them with his swirl cone. They ate in silence in the shade, watching the creek until they had finished and he was about to tell the girls how much longer they had when his wife was talking to Julia seriously.

"You know how to behave but this is a little different since you two are going to be on your own," Beckett told her. "Be safe and do talk to anyone. If they ask you where your parents are just say we're at our cabana."

"I know Mom," Julia said with a nod, not surprised her mother was telling her that. "We'll be alright and we'll probably see everyone else; the park is kinda small."

"Okay," Beckett said with a slight laugh. She hugged her tightly and told her, "Have a great time."

"We will, have a nice time with Dad," Julia said before she hugged her father and then went to Mari, waving at her sister and grandfather before they left.

"Okay, we'll head out now," Castle said. "Where are you guys going?"

"The cabana first," Jim said, taking the sand pail his son in law was holding. "To drop these off and then we'll try one of the raft rides she can go on."

"Don't take her to the Ketchakiddie Creek yet Dad," Beckett told him. "We'll take her eventually."

"I can go on the big slides too," Eliza commented.

"You can, but you're still short enough for that place," Castle told her as she was hugging both him and Beckett. "And we want to join you."

"Not on any slides they might have," Beckett said, glancing at him. "Alright, have fun and we'll see you." She watched the two go before she turned to her husband, not surprised when he took her hand and they started to walk over to the slides they wanted to go on first.

"Are we still racing?" Castle asked his wife as they made their way up to the slides.

"I don't think it's really all that fair," Beckett said with a smile.

"Still," Castle said as they were both aware he had more of an advantage weighing more than his wife. When she pushed at him he laughed and took her hand again before they reached the top, looking up at the boat at the top of the mountain. He looked forward again when he heard his wife asking the cast member there if they could race. When the woman directed them to the first and second slides he held her back from going to the second one.

Beckett looked at her husband in surprise but wasn't startled when he just told her he liked the middle one better. So she allowed him to go and she asked, "You count or me?"

"I will," Castle replied. When she glanced at him he said, "I won't cheat. Ready?"

"I am," Beckett said. He started to count down and as soon as he'd reached one she shoved herself down the slide, unable to help crying out at the speed as the slide was at a sixty-degree angle so it felt steep. When she was back out in the sun; the slide in a tunnel; she splashed down at the end and closed her eyes as some water went into them, making her laugh.

"Need some help?" a voice said suddenly to Beckett's right.

"Here love," Castle said to his wife.

Opening her eyes Beckett took his hand and she stepped out to the walkway next to her slide saying, "I couldn't see, thank you though." She then recalled the voice and she looked ahead at the man that had gone down the third slide before they'd gone. She understood why her husband had taken the middle slide and waited for the man to walk away from them though she rolled her eyes at the glare he gave her husband. She then heard a familiar voice calling out to them both, she and her husband hurrying over to the viewing platform at the end of the slides.

"Mommy!" Eliza said happily as she went to Beckett first. "Was it fun?"

"It was, weren't you going to go on a slide you liked?" she asked as she picked her daughter up.

"She wanted to see you race," Jim explained.

"You know what," Castle suddenly said, turning to his wife. "I think you should try racing against Skye."

"Maybe later," Beckett said, looking at him in confusion. When he nodded to her she turned around and saw Skye and Mary were walking up to them. "What happened to your youngest?"

"We let all the girls go together," the investigator said with a smile. "They need some time to bond as sisters. You guys finished up?"  
"We did, did you hear Rick?" Beckett asked.

"Oh of course, nearly shouting it," Skye said jokingly. "Tell you what, let's all three of us go."

"After you," Beckett said, smiling at her husband before she left with the women.

" _Have men been looking at you_?" Skye asked her friend in Russian as soon as they were in the line.

" _Yes_ ," Beckett replied in the same language in annoyance. " _But that always happens_."

" _Do you like it? Please don't be mad_ ," Mary said before saying the last sentence rapidly.

" _There's something you should know about me_ ," Beckett told her. "Rick _asked me once if I was ever married and I told him I was a one and done type of girl. Since we were married before this life I was done once we met. I've never cared what men thought of my looks but with my husband_ …"

" _It's as it should be_ ," Skye commented. " _I couldn't give much effort to worry about that, but I realized I did want to look presentable for my girlfriend and that's continued to now_."

" _And you do_ ," Mary said hurriedly. " _Oishī_."

Beckett smiled as Skye visibly gulped and she murmured, " _What did you just say_?"

" _Delectable_ ," the investigator said before her wife could. " _Enough of that love; we can't_ …" she started to say before she blanched and looked at Beckett.

" _I noticed you have a full room_ ," Beckett said, glancing up at the rest of the line though they weren't very far from the top. " _What're you going to do_?"

" _Wait_ ," Skye said, her voice a little strained.

Beckett looked away from the two as Mary wrapped her arms around her wife. When she was looking back at them she saw the doctor's hands were in some nearly inappropriate places before they were letting go of each other. " _She likes you in that suit_?" she asked, speaking in Irish then as she felt that was a safer language.

" _She convinced me to not cover up_ ," Skye commented in mock frustration as she looked at her wife.

Biting at her lower lip when Mary outright leered at Skye, Beckett saw her friend was tensing up visibly before she said, " _We're almost there_."

" _Good, I need a distraction_ ," Skye said, going first so she could tell the cast member they wanted to go down the slides together.

" _Sorry_ ," Mary said quickly to her wife when they walked over to the slides.

" _It's alright_ ," Skye said in Irish. " _Bets anyone_?"

" _No, let's just go_ ," Beckett said in amusement as she'd been listening to them. " _And keep going through the park_." She waited for Skye to count then and pushed herself down before crossing her ankles and arms over her chest. She was crying out again as she slid down until she was going through the water at the bottom and closing her eyes tightly.

"Yay Mommy!" Eliza cried as her mother had just beat the two women.

"Have fun," Skye said once Beckett had reached where she and her wife were standing.

"You're leaving already?" she asked.

"Yep, ta," Skye said, taking her wife's hand and pulling her down the path away from the slide.

"Dad? If you want to rest or anything we're going to take Eliza," Beckett said once she'd reached her father.

"Are you sure?" Jim said.

"Yes," Beckett told him as she carefully ran her fingers through Eliza's hair.

"I should tell you before I head back," Jim said. "That we went to look at the area for little kids."

"I don't wanna go there Mommy," Eliza told her.

"Oh really?" Castle said in amusement.

"Yeah, I wanna go on the big slides," Eliza said.

"We'll go now," Castle replied. "We'll see you later Jim, tell my mother she can do what she likes now." When his father in law had nodded to him and then left he picked up Eliza and said, "What would you like to go on first?"

"Adventure Falls!" the little girl said eagerly.

"Miss Adventure Falls," Castle corrected.

"Let's go Rick," Beckett said with a smile before they left the viewing platform. "Think of what else you want to do sweetie, there isn't that much."

"I don't want to go to the little kids' part," Eliza said firmly.

"We'll go on these slides a lot," Castle told his wife.

"I guess so," Beckett replied with a smile before they turned to the right slightly, Eliza naming slides excitedly as they went to her and her husband's amusement.


	8. Below The Storm (Part 2)

"Which slide do you want to go on first?" Julia asked her friend as they were at the three slides that made up the Storm Slides.

"Stern Burner," Mari said. They went over to it and she then said, "Did you like this one?"

"I liked them all," Julia said with a laugh before they wrapped their arms around each other and then went over to where they could get on the slide. She urged Mari to go first before she smiled as her friend pushed herself down hard. She waited for the cast member to tell her to sit down and wait for the green light to go. It didn't take very long before finally she saw the light and she started to go down with what she knew were supposed to be rocks above the slide. She was crying out and blinking at the water that was splashing her as she went to the left and right repeatedly and through some short tunnels. Feeling like she was flying down she soon saw the pool at the end and closed her eyes tightly before she splashed down.

Cheering and applauding for her friend, Mari went out into the water a little bit to meet her and she hugged her saying, "That's so much fun."

"It is, let's go to the last two, really quick," Julia said.

"You pick now," Mari told her as they got out of the water.

Wrapping her arm around Mari again Julia told her, "The Jib Jammer."

"Cool," the little girl said before she said, "There's your mom."

"Oh no," Julia said, "I think it's time to go."

"Oh man," Mari groaned.

"Hey, you two," Beckett said, smiling at them. "Are you ready?"

"Are we really leaving?" Julia asked with a sigh.

"We are, but you guys went on these already," Beckett told them. "And I'll tell you something, something your parents told me too Mari."

"What?" the girls asked, slightly surprised.

"We're going to come back when both your little sisters are older," Beckett replied. "So we'll have a chance to go on everything again."

"Where are we gonna go to dinner?" Julia asked. "Still at the hotel, right? I hope we can see the animals," she said, directing the last part to her friend.

"Change of plans, it's not going to be _Jiko_ but _Sanaa_ ," Beckett said. "And yes sweetie, we'll be able to see the animals there."

"What time is it?" Julia asked.

"Five," Beckett said. "We decided to go a little sooner to shower and change."

"Oh… it's a nice restaurant?" Julia asked.

"It is," Beckett replied. "Come on." She walked with them to the cabana before they started to pack up their things, heading out of the park and back to the monorail station.

Once the group was at the hotel, Castle insisted to his mother that they would be taking Josie to their room. "And she'll spend the night with us too."

"If you're sure," Martha replied.

"Very, we'll meet you as soon as we're finished," Castle said before he went with his wife to their room quickly. "That seemed to go fast," he said once they were inside and he had the door locked.

"You said it yourself, the water rides are fast," Beckett told him with a smile.

"Go ahead and take a shower first," Castle said, reaching out to her to hold onto her hand so she wouldn't walk away. "Luckily she doesn't need a bath."

"When we go to the other water park we're taking her in the water somewhere," Beckett said, wrapping her arms around her husband.

They kissed tenderly before they slowly parted, and Castle told her, "We don't-"

"Don't go back on that," Beckett said with a smile, brushing her lips to his. "We'll be fast, and it'll hold us… for the time being." When he still looked hesitant she pressed against him and murmured, "You don't want to now?"

Castle breathed out heavily before he nodded and then said, "I can't help myself."

"I'll be quick," Beckett said with a smile, brushing her lips against his before she went over to the bedroom.

Watching her go, Castle nearly forgot about the fact that he was with Josie before she was suddenly grabbing his hand. With a slight jump he looked down at the baby and smiled, taking her out so he could get her changed and make it seem like they wouldn't need to wait too long for her mother to come back out to them.

Drying her hair as thoroughly as she could once she was finished with her shower, Beckett dressed before she put on a little bit of makeup. She didn't hesitate, walking out into the bedroom so her husband could get ready. "It's all yours," she called to him.

Looking up from the bed where he was with Josie, Castle couldn't keep himself from sucking in a breath of air before he got up and brought the baby with him. "Sweetheart," he directed to their daughter. "Your mom is very, very hot."

"Rick," Beckett said, shaking her head though she was smiling at him. "Go or they'll have to wait."

Nodding, Castle handed her the baby before he kissed his wife's lips quickly and told her, " _Ba mhaith liom tú_."

Smiling, since he'd said he wanted her, Beckett said, " _Feicfidh mé uait_." When he froze at her telling him she'd need him, she brushed her lips to his cheek and said, "Go."

Castle squeezed his wife gently before he left them, pushing himself to go over to the bathroom so he could get ready and return to them before they would need to leave.

When her husband was inside the other room, Beckett took Josie to the bed and laid her down on her stomach, watching her pushing herself up for a moment. "Try and roll on your back sweetie," she urged the baby, kissing the top of her head.

"Aaah," Josie vocalized before she rolled onto her side.

"Good job," Beckett said lovingly before the baby continued onto her back. She laughed softly when Josie looked surprised before she was leaning over, kissing her lips lightly and then nuzzling her nose. "I love you so much Josie," she murmured to her. She laughed again when the baby smiled at her but then said seriously, "We'll take you in the water at the next park we promise, we were just having a lot of fun with your sisters."

"Mmm," Josie said before opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out.

"Are you hungry now?" Beckett asked, watching her motion it as if she were trying to suckle. When the baby stopped and started to whimper she smiled and said, "I thought you were," reaching for her and getting off the bed to go over to the armchair next to the balcony. She just managed to start Josie nursing before she was crying and she held her closely to her, watching her instead of the view outside as she murmured lovingly to her baby.

A minute later, Castle was stepping out of the bathroom to find his wife by the sliding door, looking down at Josie who was nursing. He smiled and leaned against the doorway leading out to the main part of the bedroom, watching her for some time before she startled him when she spoke without looking away from their baby girl.

"I'm surprised at you," Beckett commented.

"Why?" Castle said.

Looking up at him Beckett said, "Not running over here to watch? You're a little far."

"You make a good point," Castle said before he hurried over to her.

"Pervert," Beckett said though she was smiling at him.

"I'm not ashamed to agree with you," Castle said before he was sitting across from her, smiling at her. "Will she sleep?" he asked her.

"Probably," Beckett said. She then said, "I promised her we'd take her in the water at the other park."

"I said the same thing," Castle admitted, smiling at her. He then reached over to her, cupping her cheek before he leaned over. Since their baby was in between them he couldn't lean over too close, so the kiss was very short. When they parted he said, "She's almost done?"

"A little more," Beckett said since she was quickly switching Josie to her other breast as she'd finished. She gently ran her hand over the back of her head before she looked at her husband, about to tell him to kiss her again. But there was a knock on their door and she said, "That's them."

"Hopefully they were careful," Castle commented as he was quick to get up.

"You think they went down the hall on their own?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"I know they did," Castle called before he opened the door. "They did," he called again to her when he saw it was just Julia and Eliza. "Come inside, your sister is having her dinner."

"Hello girls… you look sweet," Beckett said with a smile as the two came into the bedroom with Castle behind them.

"Gram says it's gonna be a nice dinner," Eliza said, touching the back of Josie's head. "Are you hungry?"

"Very," Beckett replied. "And so you girls know we'll stay at the next water park for longer."

"Really?" Julia said. When their parents nodded she shared a smile with her little sister before she said, "Cool." She was about to ask where the restaurant they were going to that night was when Josie was pulling away from their mother.

After the baby was set back in her carrier once she'd been burped Castle and Beckett could leave their room, walking down to where their parents, Alexis and Louis were waiting for them. They made their way to the restaurant, Castle asking Julia what she'd been about to say back in their room.

"I was just wondering where the restaurant is," the girl replied.

"You'll see right now," Castle said as they were walking over to the other building that was part of the hotel. When they reached the entrance he said, "They must be at their tables."

"You got reservations?" Jim asked in surprise.

"I admit I was able to do that," Martha said. "And hopefully the tables are good ones." She felt her granddaughter's hand slip into hers before she looked down at her and asked, "What is it Eliza?"

"They will be," the little girl said firmly before they were walking inside to their table. She then heard Julia gasping and Eliza turned her head rapidly before she could see out of the window. She was gasping herself when she saw there was a zebra outside and she said, "Are we sitting at the window?"

"Windows, we needed two tables," Martha said with a smile. She laughed slightly when her two middle granddaughters hugged her while they were walking and thanked her. "You're very welcome but please remember to eat."

"We will," Julia said before they stopped at an empty table where a bird was near the window. She looked at her sister, not sure how they should sit exactly before her mother was putting her hand on her shoulder, making her look up at her.

"Sit on the sides," Beckett told the girls. "And I'll sit on the chair there," she then said.

"But Mommy, you won't get to see," Eliza protested though she was going over to one of the side chairs.

"How do you know I won't get to?" Beckett asked her in amusement.

"Oh… kay," Eliza said.

"We'll tell you if an animal comes by," Julia said seriously.

"Thank you," Beckett replied with a smile, squeezing her hand. She then looked at her husband across from her and said, "Are they alright?"

"They're talking already," Castle said, looking at the table next to them where their parents, Alexis and Louis were. "Probably about the menu."

"Speaking of which…" Beckett told him. With his help they got their daughters to look at the options and wasn't surprised when they picked quickly before they turned their attention to the window again.

"Look at the birdie!" Eliza said happily after they'd ordered, and she saw the one that was near the window. "Mommy-" she started to say before she stopped herself when she saw Beckett was going around the table to get Josie from her carrier.

"Want the high chair with you?" Castle asked his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "They want me to turn around."

Nodding, Castle watched her go back to her chair before he jumped up to turn it around for her. "Just to help you," he said quickly to her smile.

Beckett cupped her husband's cheek in her thanks before she looked out the window, watching the tall bird walking outside until she realized her husband was right next to her. "Or you just wanted to stay here," she said to him teasingly.

Glancing at his wife Castle smiled when the baby cooed, looking straight ahead though he knew she couldn't see it. As the girls were nearly pressed up against the glass he took Julia's chair that was behind him and sat next to his wife. "The _naan_?" he asked her.

"We'll make them come over and get some," Beckett said, glancing behind them as their waitress was coming back. "Thank you," she told the woman. What's the spiciest?"

"The jalapeño-lime pickle and red chili sambal," the woman replied. "Enjoy."

Hearing their parents saying thank you to the woman again, the girls turned around and saw they had an appetizer before their meal and they went over. They took quickly to the _naan_ bread and the white sauce that their parents let them have with it along with the mango chutney. They didn't stop looking outside, spotting more East African Crowned Cranes, zebras and giraffes as well. They were coaxed back to their chairs when their food came as they were still hungry.

"How's your butter chicken?" Castle asked Eliza after they'd been eating for a while. He smiled when the little girl nodded, too busy eating her chicken and rice together at that moment. "Love?" he asked his wife next.

"I told you, you can try if you'd like," Beckett said with a smile as she gave him some of her _sosatie_ , a skewer with meat, apricots and onions with a salad underneath that had goat cheese, squash and cashew. She watched him chewing and smiled when he soon after nodded before she turned to Julia to ask her how she liked the _sosatie_ she'd gotten as well.

"I like it," the girl said, smiling when her mother looked surprised. "I thought you were going to ask me. And it's really good, different."

"It is, and I'm enjoying mine if anyone wanted to know," Castle commented.

"Let me have some," Beckett said.

"I'm not going to be able to get it all on the fork and hand it over," Castle said. "Hold on," he told her quickly before he started to get the braised beef, cilantro-coconut vegetables and rice, what was called a _potjie_ inspired dish, on his fork before he stood up.

Beckett was going to tell him to just pass it to her when he had reached her, and she was lucky to take his fork and eat what was on it. "You're right," she told him. "Now go sit," she added though she was smiling at him. "I'm glad we came here," she said as they looked at their daughters watching some Greater Kudu walking by.

"So am I," Castle said. "And we husbands have a surprise for after."

"Can we go out to the animals?" Julia asked.

Glancing at her, Castle saw the girl was smiling and he said, "No but we'll go close."

"Cool," Julia said though she was wild with temptation to ask what the surprise was exactly. When they had finished eating she went to the window with her sisters, holding Josie while they waited for their parents to pay so they could go.

"Oh, Jules," Eliza exclaimed before whispering to her sister. When Julia looked at her she smiled at their baby sister before she said, "We don't know where we get to go tomorrow."

"Oh, you're right," Julia said. She was going to turn around when Castle was calling to them to go. She shared a look with Eliza before she was taking the baby back to their father so they could leave and join the others outside which they were soon doing.

"Are we all here?" Brad asked. He looked over everyone and seeing it looked like they were he said, "So this is dessert, s'mores and the view of the animals."

"I think they like your guys' idea," Skye said in amusement as the kids were talking together in obvious excitement.

"We're going to have to make the s'mores in stages though," David said. "Since there are a lot of us."

"Two of us aren't going to have these," Beckett pointed out.

"Three, I'm just letting Ruby have a bite of mine," Rebecca said before she looked at her husband.

"What?" David asked in surprise.

"Just one bite and from mine," Rebecca told him sternly.

The other parents laughed as the mayor held his arms up, but they turned their attention shortly after to the workers who were bringing two trays over to them. They had no trouble getting their kids over to the fire pit they'd been standing around and they were taking turns roasting marshmallows on the sticks they'd been provided.

"Dad?" Julia asked her father when it was their turn. "What about the arcade?"

"How would you like to stay out here for tonight?" Castle replied.

Smiling Julia said, "That would be really nice. How many s'mores can we have?"

"You can have two but run around a little before you have the second one," Beckett said firmly.

"Me, Mommy?" Eliza asked.

"Here," Castle said, taking her marshmallow out of the fire before it could catch on fire. He helped her put the marshmallow onto her chocolate and graham cracker before letting her sandwich it with another cracker. He saw that Julia was fine so he got a marshmallow for himself, joining Beckett and their parents around the fire. "Today was fun," he said.

"I enjoyed it," Jim said with a slight smile, knowing that was said more to get both him and Martha to let them know they hadn't minded their activities.

"It was wonderful," Martha said. "The creek was my perfect ride."

Laughing softly Beckett said, "It was very nice. Rick," she then told him.

"Yes I know, but let them finish first," Castle said hurriedly as he needed to get his marshmallow out of the fire. When he had his s'more ready he saw his wife was biting into hers and he smiled when some chocolate dripped down her chin. "It got a little out of control Kate," he said, reaching out to her.

Giving her husband a look, Beckett allowed him to wipe away the chocolate with his thumb. "Rick…" she said when he didn't move his hand away.

"Yeah, sorry," Castle said as the laughter of some of the kids distracted him. When he looked around the fire he saw their parents had left them and were with the others. He concentrated on his dessert before he squeezed his wife's hand and then went over to Brad.

"Hey," the chief called out to everyone else. "Thank you," Brad then said with a smile as the kids quieted down and looked over at him. "We have an announcement-"

"Congratulations on your engagement!" Skye called. She laughed when the two men glared at her and said, "It was too easy, go ahead though."

"None of you asked where we're going tomorrow," Castle said after a moment.

"I was going to, what're we gonna see?" Julia said quickly.

"We're heading to Epcot," Castle told them after glancing at Brad.

"Is that the big golf ball?" Jacob said.

"It is," Castle said with a laugh.

"That's a ride," Lily told her son. "What're the hours?"

"You know them," Brad told his wife.

"No, I don't," Lily said. "You've been looking everything up."

"The part that's called Future World opens at nine, but the World Showcase part opens at ten," Castle said before anyone could say anything else.

"Unfair, I want to go to the World part much more," Skye said jokingly. "We're going to look at the animals."

As the other families began to go to the railings Beckett looked for hers and Castle's daughters but saw they were going with their friends. Glancing at her husband she saw he was taking Josie out of her carrier and she asked, "Want to go?"

"Not yet, let's sit here for a little," Castle told her, motioning to the rocking chairs.

Beckett sat down, watching her husband keeping Josie and sitting next to her which made her smile. She was going to ask him if he wouldn't want to be alone with their baby when he was speaking to Josie.

"Now tomorrow is going to be great," Castle said, pressing his lips against her temple. He then pulled back to look at her and he said, "And I'll tell you now it's important too. I promised myself that I would take your mom around the world as much as possible and since we're taking a break right now I get the chance to do that in a way tomorrow."

"Rick," Beckett said with a smile on her face.

"I'm serious," Castle said. "And since there aren't too many rides in that section we'll be able to take you," he said to Josie.

Beckett just smiled again as she could tell her husband was serious about that before she said, "It'll be nice, but not just me."

"I know, we're looking forward to taking all our girls," Castle said, directing the last to Josie who yawned. "She's bored," he said to his wife.

Laughing softly Beckett stood up and said, "We should get her into her carrier."

"Do we need to go inside first?" Castle asked, standing himself and going over to the stroller where he let Beckett take the baby.

"Hmm, sweet dreams Josie, I love you so much," she said to the baby, holding her close. Beckett gently kissed her forehead before she turned to Castle, watching her husband leaning over to Josie.

"I love you too sweetheart, we'll spend a lot more time with you tomorrow," Castle said as he brushed his lips to her forehead. "And you get to spend the night with us tonight." He watched Beckett place the baby into her carrier and he told her, "Do we need to go in?"

"No, she can stay with us," she replied. "She'll be fine for now." Beckett then told her husband, "We need to go over to them now, that way we can spend time with them."

"And while you're doing that, we will be enjoying this fire," Martha said quickly as she and Jim were walking over to them.

"Thank you," Castle said, not protesting as he knew his mother wasn't going to let them. He took his wife's hand and said, "We'll be back for our second s'mores."

Walking over to the girls, Beckett squeezed her husband's hand and said, "Please don't give more than a bite or two to Eliza."

"I won't," Castle said rapidly as their daughters were running up to them.

"Come and see," Julia told them eagerly. "There are a lot of animals over here."

"They're walking around and everything," Eliza said eagerly as she took Beckett's hand while her sister took their father's. "We saw giraffes and then zebras came to walk by!"

Laughing softly Beckett leaned over and kissed the top of the little girl's head before she asked, "Anything else coming around?"

"Yeah, but we're not sure what they are," Julia said as they were nearing the outlook where everyone else was standing. "Will you be able to tell us?"

"I think I can try," Castle said, seeing his daughter was walking up to them. "And this might help," he told the two girls, pulling out something from his jacket pocket.

Beckett smiled when the girls began to exclaim at the list of animals, walking with them to Alexis before they went to the railing together to look over what they could see of the savannah before they returned to the fire with the rest of their family and friends.

* * *

"Alright sweetie," Beckett said, carefully picking up the baby. "Time for you to get to sleep."

Glancing over at her, Castle smiled at the way Josie yawned widely and then settled into her mother's neck. He quickly set aside the shirt and pants the baby had worn at dinner with the dirty clothes so he could watch his wife walking back and forth, gently bouncing their youngest. He didn't say anything, sitting at one of the two armchairs across from the desk in their room. It didn't take very long before he was standing and saying softly, "She's asleep."

Beckett nodded, smiling as she'd been able to feel that, and she went over to the crib before she waited for her husband to join her. She watched him brush his lips against the back of their baby's head, murmuring he loved her, before she kissed the top of Josie's head lightly and told her she loved her too. With that done she set her down very gently into the bed before she covered the lower half of her body with a light blanket since it wasn't that cold. She and Castle remained there for a while, watching their baby girl sleeping before she finally shook herself and turned on the web cam they'd already attached to the crib before she took her husband's hand.

A little surprised at how his wife was holding his hand as tightly as she was, Castle quickly followed her over to the bathroom though he wasn't surprised when she detoured to his nightstand.

"Grab the monitor," Beckett whispered to him, not surprised her voice had come out a bit clipped. She didn't really look back to see if he'd done that, trusting he had as they slipped inside the bathroom. She set the tablet she'd grabbed on the counter and once her husband had put the monitor next to it she reached up to his shirt and slowly unbuttoned the top one saying, "We need to take a shower." She saw he was about to speak but she stopped him by saying, "We're filthy."

"Oh, I agree," Castle said rapidly. "But we should get this set up before we start." He wasn't surprised when she turned to the counter and he turned on the baby monitor while she got the tablet onto its stand and turned on. He saw that Josie was still fast asleep before he tugged on her hand. "We have to hurry," he stated while he pulled her close.

"I know," Beckett replied before she slid her arms around him so she could hold onto his neck. They kissed and while they were hungrily rolling their tongues around each other's she slid her right hand up the back of his neck before she reached his hair. Her other hand joined, and she then gently scratched at his scalp, feeling him shudder against her before she pulled back. "Your hair doesn't need washed, does it?" she asked him.

"It wouldn't hurt to do it again," Castle said, looking down at her.

"I think we need to stick to a quick shower," Beckett said, though not without some regret.

"Another time?" Castle asked.

"Of course," Beckett replied, brushing her lips against his before she turned away from him so he could get to the zipper on her sundress.

Castle was quick to open it before he had her turn back around and they worked together to get him fully undressed. He was tempted to take her right into the shower though she wasn't naked, but he instead moved to slip his fingers into her panties, pulling them down and moving with them as well while the fabric slid down her body.

"You're not taking your time," Beckett said teasingly though her voice was a little halting as his touch was affecting her greatly.

"I can't," Castle said, smiling up at her.

Knowing her husband didn't just mean because they needed to get back to the bedroom and Josie, Beckett took her husband over to the shower stall. Once he'd closed the curtain behind them she was turning on the water, glancing over her shoulder when he cupped her ass with his hand.

"We have to start at some point," Castle told his wife as she turned around to him. When she threw her arms around him he wasn't surprised and was quick to respond to her, plunging his tongue into her mouth before she could do that. They were gently rubbing against each other until he couldn't help himself, sliding his hands from the small of her back to gently squeeze at her ass. When she gasped and arched up into him they parted, and he told her, "We need more time."

"No," Beckett told him firmly as that was a question. "It's my turn first," she said. Before he could say anything, she was kneeling in front of him, taking his erection in her hands and gently kissing along the length of it.

Pressing back against the wall Castle watched his wife moving around until she stopped, running her index finger and thumb around him. "Kate," he groaned heavily, tilting his head back. He opened his eyes wide when she suddenly took him into her mouth and he nearly started to grind his teeth together at the way the pleasure seemed to snap within him and made him reach down to her. He was afraid he was going to hurt her and nearly panicked when she suddenly pulled away from him and stood up.

"What's wrong?" Beckett asked, a little startled to find the expression on her husband's face when she looked directly at him.

"I didn't pull your hair or anything did I?' Castle asked, starting to feel hopeful he hadn't at her tone of voice.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile as she reached for him and gently cupped his face with her hands. She kissed him tenderly but as sensuously as she could before she moved back enough to gently brush her lips against his. " _Ba mhaith leat mo lámha nó mo bhéal_?" she then said, asking him if he would like her hands or mouth.

" _Araon_ ," Castle gasped out, saying the word both. When she stepped up to his side he was very swift to wrap his arm around her, grasping at her ass immediately. As she looked at him he asked, gasping and stuttering here and there since she was rubbing her hand around his member, "C-can I… touch?"

"Yes," Beckett said simply. "But don't slap," she followed with quickly as his hand squeezed her hard.

"You're… no f-fun," Castle groaned when she lightly squeezed him. He was startled when she moved around then, standing in front of him. "What-" he began to say when he let out a shout as she cupped him with her other hand very firmly. "Kate," he breathed out hard as he grabbed her wrists to get them away from him. "You're going to make me come," he told her seriously, breathing a little hard at first.

"Isn't that the idea?" Beckett asked, smiling widely as she suddenly realized something she could do. When he looked at her in confusion she said, "You should stand under the water for a little bit," wondering what his reaction would be and if he would do it.

Castle hesitated for a moment, not certain what she wanted with that suggestion, but he knew he could trust her so he turned to the water, glancing behind him at his wife. When her hands rested on his shoulders he braced himself, feeling her soon after sliding down to his back. He hissed slightly as she eventually used her nails instead of her fingertips, wondering when she would stop since she was reaching the small of his back.

As Beckett grasped her husband's ass, gently at first before she squeezed it firmly, she prepared herself to need to defend her chance to touch him. But when he just leaned forward to place his hands on the wall she quickly pulled him back as he was getting his hair wet. "I'd apologize but I enjoyed doing that," she told him as she was hurrying to wrap her arms around him so she could grasp his erection with both her hands. " _Agus seo freisin_ ," she murmured, kissing over the back of his left shoulder.

Since she'd said the phrase 'and this too,' Castle was outright shuddering in pleasure before he said, "Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course, let me have my own fun though," Beckett said, kissing at his back by then as she continued to work over him with her hands. After she had been doing that for a while she could tell his entire body was beginning to tense up repeatedly. She bit at her lower lip and forced herself to let go of him, watching him lean against the wall to the side before she got on her knees again.

Castle let out a heavy groan of pleasure as he was back inside of his wife's mouth, knowing she wasn't going to stop when her hand was coming up to him, cupping and then carefully massaging. Since her mouth was doing the same he had very little chance to resist the pleasure she was making him feel. He did the best he could to last a little longer until finally he broke, groaning her name once before he gave in fully to his climax. He was holding onto her head, trying not to move her since she was doing that well enough on her own. He had no idea how long he lasted but when he finished he nearly slumped against the wall, holding himself up only when his wife stood up and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

From the way Castle kissed her so intently Beckett knew he was well satiated before she moved away very slowly. "Love," she breathed, trying to fight with her heavy arousal from working on him. She wasn't surprised when her husband's hands went down to her ass again and she whispered against his lips, "You can use your hands if you want."

"Not just my hands," Castle told her, nuzzling his lips to hers for a moment after he'd spoken. They kissed again and deeply, lingering as he was using his hands to roam over whatever part of her body he could reach. Eventually he couldn't wait any longer and moved a step away from her so he could kneel at her feet, waiting for her to part her legs with his hands on her hips.

"Your knee…" Beckett said softly. But she was aware already he wasn't going to stop so she just allowed him to raise his head so he could press a kiss to her clit. She gasped and bit at her lower lip for a moment before he started to suck on the swollen nub. She was startled he was so gentle, but it didn't last as the pleasure he was creating in her was very quick to take her over. She moaned his name before he was pulling back and said, "When I come…" she had to stop as he was rubbing her folds very firmly with his fingers, trying to handle the sudden onslaught of heat that sent racing through her body. But finally, she could speak and told him, "I want you using your hand."

"You won't let me taste?" Castle asked, looking up at her without moving his head.

Breathing out heavily Beckett said, "After I'm done." She wasn't surprised when he froze for a moment before moving again, tilting his head forward and she felt his tongue along her folds. She cried out as he seemed to be searching, but as soon as he reached her entrance he was slipping inside as far as he could go, making her reach down to his head and hold onto it a little tighter than she'd meant to.

Castle nearly hissed at the way his wife ended up tugging on his hair, but he recovered quickly, going back to his administrations on her. Since it was a little hard to get directly to her entrance he was alternating between what he could reach and her clit, knowing she was enjoying it as her fingers were moving a little wildly through his wet hair. When she told him to stop after he'd been doing that for some time he pulled away, surprised at her command before she was pulling on his arm. "Are you that close?" he asked her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"You don't think I enjoyed what I was doing to you?" Beckett asked. She was startled when her husband suddenly became serious and she gasped when he made her turn to face the water. It didn't take her long before she realized what he was doing as his hands were suddenly running over her abdomen and her mound as well until his fingers started to stray to her clit. "Not… not like that," she breathed heavily to him.

"I won't," Castle said absently, not even sure if his answer made sense. He was concentrating on feeling her skin until he was aware he was pressing against her ass a little too hard. He hurriedly pulled back, taking her with him so she could lean back against the wall as he'd done before. He wrapped his arm around her tightly and then reached with his right hand while he was kissing her hungrily, rubbing at her clit before he moved his hand even lower.

Arching her back a little roughly, Beckett grit her teeth together to try and withstand the feeling of his fingers slipping within her. She sighed a little as he very gently moved them in and out and she couldn't stop herself from thrusting against him, going at the same pace as her husband captured her lips with his own. "Rick… please," she finally had to tell him when they parted from each other to breathe.

"Are you close?" Castle asked her. When she nodded he brushed his lips to hers and then moved his fingers up to her clit, rubbing at it again a little harder than before and watching her.

Moaning and turning her head back and forth, Beckett wanted to give her husband more time working on her as she'd had with him. But when he started to kiss at her shoulder she couldn't stop it, crying out his name heavily in absolute ecstasy in her orgasm. She felt Castle holding her and very closely, his free hand gripping her tightly so they wouldn't lose the touch between them. When everything stopped she gave a slightly shuddering breath and murmured his name before she used the last of her strength to turn and lean against him. "Thank you," she murmured.

"Only fair," Castle said, speaking against her forehead and brushing his lips there. "And I needed to… can I still?" he then asked her.

"Yes," Beckett said, a little more recovered and knowing what he wanted. She leaned against the wall again, watching him kneeling again. A second later his tongue was literally lapping at her and she moaned deeply as his touch affected her immediately. She wasn't surprised when he was brief, and she said, "Check on her."

Peering around the shower curtain Castle squinted slightly and then said, "I can't really see love."

Moving the curtain further next to him Beckett looked at the screen and said, "She's asleep, come on."

With that the two then began to finish up their shower, washing off with soap swiftly before they stepped out and dried each other off. They kissed but just managed not to get out of control before they were dressing with the door open.

Letting Beckett go first Castle said, "Want something to drink?"

"Some tea," Beckett said. "We can drink outside." When he nodded she was about to turn to go to the crib when she paused and said, "Come here."

A little startled, Castle walked over to her and watched her reach up to his face, "What's wrong?"

"Do me a favor?" Beckett asked him. At his nod she smiled slightly and said, "Wear your glasses, see how things go."

"Sure, but the screen was really far," Castle reminded her.

"Your eyesight hasn't changed?" Beckett said. When he shook his head, she nodded once and said, "Alright, go ahead." She watched him leave the room and while she could hear him getting two mugs of tea ready she turned her attention to Josie. Since the baby was still fast asleep and looked to be fine, she went to the balcony and stepped out leaving the sliding door open behind her only slightly. She leaned against the railing, waiting for her husband to join her as she looked out on the animals there were in view that night.

"Hey, anyone up?" Castle said once he'd stepped outside, leaving the door slightly open as well.

"Some giraffes are moving," Beckett said with a smile at him. "But it looks quiet."

"Nice," Castle said, joining her after he'd set the mugs down on the table in between the chairs. He leaned over, pressing close to her, and then said in Irish, " _I enjoyed that_."

Smiling at him wryly Beckett said, " _It was needed_."

" _Especially after today_ ," Castle told her. When she looked at him he said, " _With what you were wearing_?" since he didn't think there was a word for bikini in the language. "I was mentally drooling every time I looked at you," speaking in English. He then clenched his jaw and clutched at the railing for a moment before he said, "I hated them looking at you."

"I noticed but I'll remind you I took you in the shower just now," Beckett said. When he tensed, standing up as he did that, and looked at her she smiled and said, " _Bhí mé ag fulaingt ar do shon_ ," telling him she was starving for him.

" _Níorbh fhéidir liom a choinneáil ar shúil uait_ ," Castle said, letting her know that he couldn't keep away from her. He then told her he still couldn't which translated as, " _Ní féidir liom fós_."

Beckett's response was to smile at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him as they began to kiss. She felt his hold on her was very gentle and she was pleased, not wanting something too rough to risk them both becoming aroused though she knew they would be slightly anyway. When they parted she sighed and said, "We should drink our tea."

"Yeah," Castle said simply as he knew that she was right and they would need their rest. "So… Epcot," he said as he sat and pulled her over to him so she was sitting on his lap.

"Yes, I'm eager to see it," Beckett replied. "I just hope the girls won't mind the lack of rides in the world part… or the _Frozen_ ride."

"Why do they dislike it so much?" Castle asked.

"I don't know," Beckett said as their daughters had never taken to that movie. "I suppose they want a stronger heroine… or smarter though I can't see why they don't see it in that movie," she said as their daughters' favorite Disney movies didn't exactly have the typical Disney princesses except for _Beauty and the Beast_.

"Yeah, Alexis loved Belle when she saw she read and how big that library was in the castle," Castle said with a smile. They were quiet then, sipping at their drinks, before he said, "I bet you anything she'll ask Skye to sing after that ride."

"I know she will," Beckett said, smiling herself. "But what?"

"No clue, just something to get that _Frozen_ song out of our heads," Castle said. "Do any other kids like that movie?" he said suddenly.

"We'll find out tomorrow," Beckett said. They drank the rest of their tea in silence, looking out on their view of the savannah before they finished and stood at the railing again.

"Kate," Castle said eventually. When she looked at him he leaned over kissing her deeply on the lips before she was responding to him hungrily. He couldn't stop or let her go until they were completely breathless before they slowly parted from their fourth or fifth kiss. "I love you," he told her firmly.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said before they were kissing again but a lot more sensuously. When they parted she said, "Time for bed." She laughed softly when he nodded rapidly and took his hand, entwining their fingers tightly. She pulled him after her into the room where they could check on their baby and get some sleep in anticipation for the following day and their trip through the next park with their family and friends.


	9. Because The World Is Round

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: If anyone wants to see these rides; or the slides at the water parks; are like I would recommend checking them out on YouTube as I used the videos for them posted there to write them accurately.

A/N #2: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song _That's What It Takes_ written by George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Gary Wright, from George's album _Cloud Nine_.

A/N #3: Great to get the feedback I did for the last chapter so will go to my thanks yous right away! Mb (Great you thought they had a fun time at the water park. And yeah, the slides and water roller coasters do look like they're a lot of fun. I'm happy that you loved how the different families enjoy the same activities. And that they want to be together but do things just on their own, so they can spend family time apart. Ah, okay, yeah it's funny the other parks at Disney World all have at least one roller coaster except for Epcot at the moment. I suppose that's why they made this newest ride a coaster. You're welcome for the first half! Really glad you thought the second half was a sweet update with a hint of want and need for Castle and Beckett at the end. And I had to laugh at you saying it was a creative way for them to relieve their stress, lol. And great that you enjoyed the men talking about if they'd had the talk with their wives, them all saying yes as well as them seeing their wives in swimsuits with the other men ogling them. Not surprised you mentioned Skye and Mary asking that too and having the same issue. I also wasn't surprised that you think going to Epcot will be fun. Or that they'll love taking pictures of the scenery, topiary and the pavilions from the different countries that are there. Great you thought it was very good. You're very welcome for sharing and thanks for reading not a holiday weekend! You're welcome for the second half! And happy Labor Day to you!),

TORONTOSUN (It was nice to see you liked how the kids are into the slides and rides as much as they are. And I wasn't surprised you liked how Castle became a kid with the three girls, that I figured would definitely happen) and

vetgirlmx (Really great to see that you thought the chapter was very fun! I'm not surprised you enjoyed the park a lot since I've never written them going to a water park before, so you are right about that. And they might do it again. Great you loved seeing the adults having as much fun as their kids were. But you're right, with the bigger slides that would help them have fun too, lol. I wasn't surprised that you weren't that there was a creepy guy ogling since you were right it was a while since that last happened. And not surprised you didn't miss it, though I figure it's more they try to ignore it really, not so much used to it. I'm not surprised either that you think their dessert after dinner must have been amazing, I've seen the animals for the hotel they're at and the area and it's really amazing, so you picked the right word for that, lol. I'm happy to see that you have really high hopes for them going to Epcot. And I'm not surprised you know about the lack of rides at that one, lol, but yeah, part of the park is really interesting so for them they'll enjoy it. And I'm pleased you can't wait for it, I think you'll enjoy it as well. Oh, and I'm glad you're very eager for it as well and you don't need to wait for it anymore either!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #4: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Because_ by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album _Abbey Road_.

Because The World Is Round

"So, the World Showcase doesn't open for another hour," Skye commented.

Looking up from the map at her friend Beckett said, "Yes, why? And you know you can choose where we go too."

"We don't need to go in order?" Skye said.

"What ride is there Mum?" Marie asked her.

"I'd like to take us all to Test Track… though not all of us can go on that of course," Skye told them.

" _Is that the one like the Cars ride at your home_?" Beckett asked in Irish.

" _It is, I've always wanted to go on it and take the girls to see it_ ," Skye said with a nod in the same language.

"Okay," Beckett said in English. "We're going to go on Test Track first, it's this way," she said, directing them to the left at the entrance. She felt a hand slip into her own and she looked down to see that it was Eliza. "What's wrong sweetie?" she asked as the little girl was biting at her lower lip a few times.

"Well… can I go on the ride too?" Eliza said slowly before she spoke speedily.

Beckett smiled and then said, "You can." She couldn't help laughing slightly when her daughter gasped in joy and she said, "You'll like this one, it's like a roller coaster but for little kids just like you."

"And," Castle said, going over to her and holding his hands out to her. When she nodded he picked her up and put her onto his shoulders before continuing telling her, "It's in a car."

Beckett was laughing again as the little girl made an ooh sound before she looked down at Josie who was in her stroller she was pushing. She smiled at the baby; who was smiling back at her; before she heard Julia crying out.

"Can I go on that one?" the girl asked, hurrying to her parents.

"She can, it's 40 inches," Skye said, looking at the map and the information for the ride that was called RELAUNCHED! Mission: Space.

"Can I go on?" Eliza asked next eagerly.

"I've heard it's a dark ride; in the dark," Skye said when the parents all looked at her. "But I'm not sure what it's about. Might want to let them test it out first Eliza."

"Kay," Eliza said, nodding her head. She then smiled and said, "I'm glad we're going on this ride first."

"Me too," Castle said, squeezing her leg.

"Find me a bench," Martha told her son as they were at the ride shortly after.

"You don't want to switch and have me sit with them first?" Jim asked as they were watching Castle's mother sit down with the strollers next to her and Dani soon on her lap.

"Oh no, I'm perfectly alright here and we'll await your return," Martha replied. "We want to hear all about it."

"I'll tell you Dani!" Eliza said before she waved at her friend and they went together through the line as there weren't too many people there yet. She suddenly thought of something and tugged at her father's hair gently before he was setting her down. She hadn't needed him to do that but as soon as she could she tugged at his hand when he smiled down at her and spoke before she could ask her question about the ride.

"I don't know much about this one sweetheart," Castle told her. When she looked at him in surprise he explained, "I really don't, I focused more on the Magic Kingdom since we could go but it should be fun."

"It might go a little fast though," Beckett told her.

"I still wanna go," Eliza said eagerly.

"Hey, it's six to a car," David said, going to them after he'd walked ahead down the exit. "What about you guys?" he directed to Skye and Mary.

"I can go in another car Mum, Mom," Kathleen told them.

"Are you sure?" Mary said with a slight frown.

"Yep," Kathleen said before she looked at everyone else.

"You can come with us," Clara said. "Unless…"

"Oh no, I'll stay with my family this time," Alexis said as her boyfriend's mother had looked at him.

Since they'd reached the gates where the exit was they split up into groups, the Davises going first and sitting in one car with two other people who were in line. The Fosters took up the front row of the next car with three people in line behind them. Skye and Mary sat with four of their daughters in their own car and the McColloughs, with Kathleen, followed them with one of the seats empty.

"We get our own car!" Julia said with slightly exaggerated enthusiasm to her little sister as they all took their seats in the last car.

"Daddy…" Eliza said, looking into the backseat as she and her sister were sitting with their mother.

"Don't worry," Castle told her reassuringly as the car started down the track behind the Fosters, McDouglases and McColloughs, all of them going in a group. He saw the signs for a seatbelt check and he said, "I hope you have your seatbelt on," teasingly to the little girl before they were stopping so the first of the four cars could be checked.

"With a police woman sitting in the middle Dad?" Julia asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

Laughing Castle said, "I stand corrected," before they reached the cast member who told them to tug on the yellow strap that was on top of the seat belt. After they'd done that they were soon going up an incline, laughing when he heard Eliza squealing in excitement as he could see both girls were looking around at the futuristic décor eagerly.

When they were at the top of the hill, Julia was surprised when the voice in the car said they would be doing a capability test on a turn. She wanted to ask what that had to do with the ride, but they were going down a hill what she felt was slowly and she glanced at her mother.

"I'm sure it'll be fun," Beckett said, knowing what her daughter was thinking already. They were going through a hall with some futuristic graphics playing on the wall before they were coming around a turn and were stopping in front of a stretch of track. The female narrator was talking about a test, but some other noises seemed to drown that out before the car was accelerating. She was worried about Eliza, but the little girl was crying out in what she knew was joy before they were stopping hard to the sound of brakes.

"Is that it?" Eliza asked quickly, her voice laden with disappointment. But before her mother could reply she was pointing to a screen they were passing. "Grandpapa!" she called.

"I see it honey," Jim had a chance to say before they were stopping in front of another straight stretch of track. He glanced at Alexis; sitting in between him and Castle; when the female voice talked about an off-road, extreme weather sequence before they were taking off again. He was laughing when he saw his granddaughters in the front putting up their arms, crying out in delight before they were slowing down and then turning to the left as they passed a bolt of lightning.

"See the city?" Eliza asked as they were passing one.

Julia was looking at the screen where their 'test results' were supposed to be before they were turning the corner and coming into another corridor with green glowing lines. She looked at the red and green lines over them; as they were supposed to be getting scanned before they came to the next room. She gasped with her sister as their car was reflected on the side and there was a line that was moving up and over the hood of their car. "What does that mean?" she asked her mother.

"Aerodynamic?" Beckett said quickly. When her oldest nodded she quickly said, "It means air can pass over the car easily," while they came into another room with the shape of the car on either side.

Going into the next room Eliza gasped in awe as some pine trees were lit up on the sides with blue lights and she looked up at her mother. "Christmas?" she said teasingly.

"Not yet," Beckett said with a laugh as they passed under an arc and the female voice spoke about a responsiveness test before they started to accelerate into a right turn. She wasn't surprised when the girls cried out on either side of her, laughing herself at them before they were going on a few turns. They came to a dip and she looked at Eliza, seeing her absolute joy at the short drop before they came to another turn and past a corridor.

In the next room, Castle was a little concerned for Eliza when he heard her scream at the truck that came out to them. But she was laughing the next second so he relaxed even though they were going from side to side for a bit. "I think next is the outside part," he murmured to his daughter when he saw the room they were turning into and the female voice was talking about displaying responsiveness data, not surprised she nodded in agreement. He wished he could see the girls at that moment but since his wife was leaning over to Eliza he relaxed as he knew she was warning her.

"We're going to start going very fast," Beckett was telling the little girl quickly. "And go outside so it'll be bright."

Julia leaned over while the words capability, efficiency, responsiveness and power lit up while they passed them. She looked at the arches in front of them when they straightened out, sitting back again, and said to her little sister, "This'll be fun!" while the male voice was talking about their final test.

When the female voice said, "Energizing for power test," Beckett looked at Eliza as they began to go through those arches and sped up towards a closed set of doors with the letters TT on them. She wasn't surprised when the little girl screamed in fear of hitting them before they opened just in time. She had to blink as they exited to the outside of the building and cried out with everyone in the car as they went on a short drop before going on a straight stretch. As they banked to the right she looked at both her daughters, seeing that Julia was holding up her arms. Eliza was crying out with her eyes closed but she had her arms up so she wasn't too concerned.

Julia was whooping with joy when they banked to the left and seemed to speed up on another straight stretch. She was surprised seeing a screen with numbers above them reading 64.9 before they entered a left bank. She yelled as it seemed to go on forever and only dimly realized that her little sister had stopped crying out at that point. She was a little concerned but couldn't really think about it as they were straightening and slowing down, laughing herself as the adrenaline was making her react that way. She glanced at her mother as they headed back into the building, seeing she was looking at Eliza while they went down an incline and the female voice talked about the results of the power test and the male voice spoke while they neared the exit.

"Are you alright sweetie?" Beckett asked, gently touching the back of the little girl's head. She was slightly startled when Eliza only nodded, and she looked ahead of them, hoping they'd stop very soon. Once they had she was relieved when the little girl took off her seatbelt and climbed out of the car on her own, but she hurried to take her hand once she was out of the car. "Eliza-" she started to say when she stopped walking abruptly.

"Is she alright?" Castle asked in concern as he hurried up to them and saw the little girl's legs wobbling a little.

"I don't know… Shock?" Beckett asked her husband.

"Come here Eliza," Castle told the little girl, picking her up. "Do you mind if we head out?"

Shaking her head, Eliza felt a little bad so she finally forced herself to speak saying, "I liked it."

"You did?" Julia asked in surprise.

"You don't have to say that if it was too scary for you," Jim commented.

"No, I liked it but I was…" Eliza started to say before she trailed off as she wasn't sure what word she wanted to use.

"I think she was shocked," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Probably," Beckett said. "How long do we have until the world showcase opens?"

"A while," Castle said.

"Can we go on this again?" Jacob asked. When the parents all looked at him he smiled and said, "It was fun."

"I'll sit this turn out with her," Beckett said quickly.

"But Mommy-" Eliza started to say in protest.

"Just this once, I want you to recover," Beckett told her with a kiss to her cheek.

"I'll join you love, give Mother a chance to go on this if she wants," Castle said.

Walking outside, Beckett wasn't surprised to hear the kids talking about riding that same ride until they could go to the world section. She glanced at her husband and they smiled at each other, knowing they were likely going to do that since they had all enjoyed the ride greatly.

* * *

"Anyone happy to finally be here let's give a hip, hip," Skye said as they walked into the World Showcase section of Epcot once it was open. When she got no response, she frowned at everyone and said, "You're all dull, no one's happy?"

"I don't think we want to draw the attention," Lily commented.

Laughing Skye said, "I guess you wouldn't. So how are we going to do this Rick, Kate?"

"Why are you asking us?" Castle said in surprise.

"Because you two usually have really good plans," Brennan said.

"I think he's thought of this," Beckett commented, glancing at him.

"Okay, so I think we should go to the left and start with Mexico," Castle said. "I'd had this idea to come back here for meals when we're at the other parks, but I think that's a little difficult. I did want to take our kids to the different food here so I had this idea of trying snacks for wherever we don't eat dinner and lunch."

"You already know where we're going to do that," David said.

"For our family; I don't know what you guys will do," Castle said quickly.

"Family vacation remember?" Skye said with a smile. "So where will be traveling for lunch?"

"I wanted to head over to Morocco and the _Tangierine Café_ ," Castle said. "They have burgers and chicken nuggets for the kids. And then dinner I'm not sure if you'd like something quicker or table service; there are two places that would be nice."

"Which has better stuff for our older kids?" Brad said, putting his hand on Eve's shoulder.

"You guys like street tacos, right?" Castle asked the older ones.

"Yeah, they're awesome," Jacob said.

When everyone laughed, Castle said, "The quicker one had those and better choices for the kids over nine," since the age limit for kids' meals at the park was nine years old.

"Then we'll go there, but what's here first?" Brennan asked.

"Gran Fiesta Tour," Skye said with a smile as they were nearing the Mesoamerican pyramid that made up the country's pavilion.

"We're going to get to see Mexico?" Erin asked.

"Sort of," Clara said. "We'll wait and see what we see."

Going through the line that time, the kids were glancing all around at the décor, sharing looks before Julia went to her parents before she tugged her mother's hand to get her attention.

"How are we going to sit?" the girl asked.

"I think it'll be three by three," Castle said since they were near enough to see the boats they would be riding on. "We'll go with Eliza and Josie."

Nodding, Julia hurried back to her friends, soon getting Erin to join herself and Mari in their row as they were starting to get onto the boats.

Sitting behind the three girls, Beckett looked at Josie who was on his lap and then ahead of them as they were going past the loading station and into the water. She wasn't surprised when the girls; and most of the others on their boat; gasped when they saw the tall pyramid in front of them first thing. She smiled and murmured to her husband in Irish, " _They forgot we were in Mexico_."

"I guess so," Castle said, smiling himself before he noticed something. "Skye, Mary," he said, looking at the two women behind them with their kids.

"I see," the investigator replied with a smile as to their right was a restaurant. " _They copied_ ," she said, speaking in Irish.

" _I don't think so, not when it's the same company_ ," Beckett said laughingly. She looked to their left and at the pyramid, seeing Eliza was leaning forward a little in the boat. "Here," she told her, pulling her onto her lap.

Though she didn't want to stop looking, Eliza acquiesced and sat on her mother's lap, smiling when she kissed her temple. She wanted to jokingly ask if she was a baby too, but she was enjoying their view as they floated past the restaurant and pyramid slowly.

When they had gone past the pyramid, Castle looked down at Josie as she was making soft cooing noises. He and Beckett had decided to bring the baby with them since they had been serious about wanting to spend more time with their youngest and they knew it was a calmer ride. And it had given his mother the chance to join them, starting to look back at where she was sitting with Marie and Fleur before he heard Erin in the front row gasp. Turning back around he smiled at the sight of what appeared to be jungle before he saw the passage they were approaching. He then looked at the artwork they were passing on the sides, wondering if it was fully authentic. He heard the girls in front laughing a little before he looked ahead and saw that there was a screen with some animation of two of the characters from _The Three Caballeros_.

Julia was glad that the ride was themed for the movie and she was giggling at the sight of the parrot and rooster introducing Donald Duck who wasn't there in the spotlight with them. "I guess we're going to find him now."

"Probably," Mari said, nodding her head rapidly as they passed the two flying away on a _sarape_ and came into a larger room. She looked around at the screens that were there and the architectural décor before she whispered to the girls with her, "We went to Mexico."

"Yep," Julia said, giggling with her before they watched on the screen in front of them as Donald Duck, with a lot of hats on, took pictures. She looked back at her father and said, "Like the ride?"

"I do, better keep looking or you'll miss everything," Castle replied, not surprised she'd asked since the family knew Donald Duck was his favorite character. He felt his wife lean against him and looked down at her saying in Irish, " _Are you bored_?"

"Oh no, they did an amazing job with the decorations and animation," Beckett said.

"And the live action," Castle said, as the screens in the next room were following the movie in having live actors and the animation. He squeezed Julia's shoulder when they saw Donald Duck on some colorful boats and said, "Should tell him to go to the Island of the Dolls," as the character was in Xochimilco.

"That's too mean," Julia said with a smile and laugh. "But-" she started to say before Erin was tugging on her arm. She looked up at the screen above them while they were about to pass into the next room, smiling as Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca were flying on their _sarape_ around a gold statue. "Where are they?" she asked her parents.

"Mexico City," Beckett said.

Studying the next room Julia looked back at her mother and said, "I wanna go."

"I'm sure we will," Castle said laughing as Beckett was doing so as well.

Looking at her husband; as he was looking at her questioningly; Beckett nodded and said, " _We can_ ," in Irish. She heard Eliza giggling at the scene they were floating through and she followed her gaze, seeing the little girl was looking at the performing skeletons in sombreros on a bridge above them. Glancing at the sides of the boat she smiled when she saw the dancing figures and band figures as well. Her gaze was taken then by her oldest, watching as Julia was shaking her arms back and forth with her cousin and friend. She smiled as the three started to laugh together and then tilted her head down to Eliza.

In the next room the little girl squealed and told her parents, "The _piñata_ is Donald Duck!"

"It is," Castle said, seeing the figurines trying to hit one. "Look at the xylophone players," he then said when they were passing them. He glanced ahead and saw another screen, not surprised when the kids started to laugh as Donald Duck chased what he thought was an inflatable suit. It was quick and when they entered the room fully he saw it was tropical with palms as well as a sign with the names of cities on them. The screen there had Panchito and José flying again and smoke following them spelling out the words _¿Dónde está Donald?_

"What if they never found him?" Julia whispered.

"Don't be so bleak," Beckett said teasingly to her. She smiled when her oldest looked over her shoulder and was obviously giggling silently, turning her attention as Julia was to the next room. Passing through more foliage and screens she leaned against her husband again, glancing at Josie to make sure she was alright. She wasn't surprised when the baby was asleep, and she looked down at Eliza too, seeing she was staring at everything they were passing still.

Going through scenes that were in the arches of a building, Castle saw a fiesta with a mariachi band and _Jarabe_ dancers who Donald Duck was trying to reach before being caught by Panchito and José and flying away. He wondered how much more they had left to go before they reached a larger room next and seeing the fireworks on the ceiling he said, "I think we reached the _fiesta_."

"I think so," Beckett said with a laugh before they reached a stage where the Caballeros were performing the song from the movie together. She wasn't surprised when Eliza was clapping and slightly bouncing on her lap before they were passing it.

"Is that it?" the little girl asked as they were entering a dark passage.

"It is, but we have other rides to go on next," Castle said. When they were out of the boat he waited until they were outside the pyramid to ask the others, "What next?"

"They have other things in each country about that country," Beckett quickly said as she was looking at the park map. "Like an art gallery here."

"Can we go on the rides first?" Eve suggested.

"Yeah and then after we'll come back and do the other stuff," Mari said.

"Alright, so next is Norway and I hope you guys realize it's the _Frozen_ ride," Skye said. She smiled for a moment at the groans and said, "You should go on it once."

Beckett was watching her daughter as they went from Mexico to Norway, taking pictures of the buildings they'd reached. She wanted to ask her something but decided to wait as they were getting to the exit of the ride and they stopped at a bench near it, turning to Martha who was swiftly sitting down, about to tell her thank you for staying when her mother in law held up her hand to stop her and spoke first.

"I've been looking at the map," Castle's mother said. "And it looks like there are several things that we can take her to… take all three of them," she corrected herself, looking at the babies and Dani.

"We're taking her on this one," David said. "I just saw two kids her age walking off."

Watching her husband going to the couple with the couple with the boy and girl, Rebecca smiled and said, "I hope we can take her."

"It's alright," David said, returning to them. "They said there's a drop but it's very short; their kids were fine."

"Do you want to go?" Eliza asked, squeezing her friend's hand as she'd been walking with her.

"Yeah," the toddler replied, nodding her head rapidly.

"We can go," Rebecca said, scooping up her daughter.

"We are going through the exit, right?" Brad said as they walked over to the building once Martha was set with the babies.

"I think we need to," Beckett said since the line was twenty minutes long already. She let Eliza walk with Alexis and Louis before they went inside, letting her husband take her hand as they made their way through the exit. When they reached the loading platform she said, "What do you think?"

"I'm not going to back out now," Castle said with a slight laugh.

"No," Beckett said, smiling. "Who will we sit with? Eliza's going with them," she said, gesturing to their middle daughter.

"I'll go with you," Jim commented.

Smiling again, at her father, Beckett said, "You know you could have stayed with Martha and the babies."

"It's alright, the girls probably want me to be here," Jim said.

"You don't have to come with us Grandpapa," Julia said, going over to them.

"Go Dad," Beckett told him.

"I'll go on all the other rides," Jim promised his granddaughters.

"We'll see," Alexis said with a smile. She looked at her boyfriend and when she saw he was trying to sneak away she laughed and grabbed his wrist saying, "Oh no, you're coming with us."

"Damn," Louis said, keeping his voice low. "Thought I could get away," he added louder and with a smile.

Alexis shook her head as they were getting onto their boat, the three of them in the front ahead of her parents and Julia. When they started she smiled when Eliza; in between her and Louis; squealed before she saw they were going underneath what she guessed were branches of willow trees.

"How cute," Julia said when she saw the Olaf character. She smiled and then told her mother, "The snowman."

"I know," Beckett said with a laugh. She wasn't surprised when her husband was playfully covering his ears with his hands and then saw him look behind her.

"You're not going to have that fun of a ride Bren," Clara told her husband as she'd been able to see their husbands joking together about the song the animatronic snowman was singing.

"There's the reindeer!" Eliza said as she and her sister liked those two characters but not so much the rest of the movie.

"It is," Alexis said when they were passing. She looked at the pine trees above them before she said to her boyfriend, "Do you have ear buds?"

Laughing Louis shook his head before he said, "You have to admit they did a smashing job on the animatronics."

"They did," Beckett said, hearing the others agreeing with that. They passed the trolls to come to an incline and she glanced at Julia though she couldn't quite see her as she squeezed her hand a little hard.

"Think Skye would sing?" the girl asked.

Smiling Beckett said, "We knew you'd want to ask her. And do that, ask and see if she would."

Julia nodded and then said wryly, "I think I'll need to."

"We'll all need it," Castle said, leaning over and looking at her. When they were at the top he looked at what he guessed was the main character's ice palace above them and said, "They did a good job with graphics too."

Beckett nodded as the sound of the snowflake directly in front of them lighting up kept her from talking. When they turned to the left she looked at Julia who was smiling at the sight of the snowman skating around while singing. She wrapped her arm around her oldest's as she was laughing slightly at the character messing up the lyrics to the song he was singing. When they came to the next scene she wasn't surprised when Eliza squealed at the sight of the reindeer in it though his tongue was stuck to some ice. They came to another snowflake after that and she smiled when her husband clamped his hands over his ears. The reason for that was they could hear the main song from the movie and she realized Julia was moving away from her.

Glancing up at her mother, Julia smiled as she was covering her ears as well before she gasped when their boat stopped and moved to the right. She lowered her hands and then cried out as they were going backwards a little rapidly. She laughed when she heard her little sister squealing again, though she laughed as it lasted until they were stopping, and she reached over to tap her shoulder to get her attention while they were passing through some fog before Eliza was looking back at her and spoke quickly.

"I'm not scared," the little girl said with a smile.

"Good, me neither," Julia said quickly.

Castle, watching them, was going to comment when he looked at what they were backing up into and he said, "Those are creepy."

Seeing what were supposed to be snowmen with very bright white teeth, Beckett nodded before she opened her mouth to speak when the large snowman laying down suddenly spit out mist as they turned again to the right. "Put your arms up," she said just as they were starting down. She was smiling as Eliza and Julia cried out; even though the drop was short; and she murmured to her husband, "Dani should be fine."

"Probably," Castle said with a nod as they floated underneath a palace to a short tunnel before they came out to a scene where the two main characters and the snowman were singing together. He sighed playfully when his wife looked at him and told her, "We're almost off the boat."

Beckett laughed and gently squeezed his hand before they were coming to the loading platform and getting off the boat. "Well, barring the songs I think they did a good job with that," she said to the others once they were all together.

"I'll agree with that," Brennan said. "The animatronics of course as you said Louis," he said to his son. They looked at the next boats that had the rest of their group and he said, "Is that everyone?"

"It is," Beckett said, watching as her daughter rushed to Mari before they started to walk out of the building.

"Did you like the costumes at the end?" Julia asked.

Giggling Mari said, "I told my dad that you were going to ask me that." She took her friend's hand and said, "And I did but those are more for costumes."

Nodding Julia then pulled her after her so they could reach her grandparents first and she said, "It was fun, but we didn't like the songs."

"As I expected," Castle's mother said. "Will you be going on it again?"

Sharing a look with Mari, Julia took a moment before she said, "Um… I'll go with you if you want me too."

"Don't worry Martha, Jim," Skye said. "I filmed the ride."

"You did?" the latter asked in surprise.

"I did," the investigator said with a smile. "So whenever you'd like to you can watch it."

"Good," Martha said. "But not now," she added as she was standing up with Jim. "We can move on, right?"

"We-" Castle started to say before he saw Julia was grabbing Skye's hand.

"Ah, I was waiting for someone to do this. I should have known it would be you," the investigator said with a smile. She leaned over and asked, "What've you got?"

Beckett glanced at her husband and Alexis as Julia was murmuring quietly to the woman before they both shrugged at the same time. She tried her best not to laugh at them doing that before she saw Julia was stepping away.

"Alright, I hope you don't mind," Skye said to the group. "Though I have the feeling you won't. Julia's requested a song and _grá_? I need your help."

Watching the investigator murmuring to her wife, Julia went back to Mari and took her hand, squeezing it tightly as Mary got her phone from her pocket.

Watching her wife as the music began, Skye knew she would sing back up with her when she needed to, and she prepared herself for the first verse after the drums began.

 _And now it begins to shine  
And you found the eyes to see  
Each little drop at dawn of every day_

 _Your smile, it comes back to me  
And whatever you may say  
Don't let it stop never fade away_

Julia, already enchanted with the vocals that Skye had for the song, nearly squealed as both the investigator and her wife sang the next two lines together before Skye was singing the chorus with Mary taking the backup.

 _As we got to get out in this world together, oh-oh  
Doesn't really matter if we start to make some changes, oh-oh, oh-oh_

 _If that's what it takes (That's what it takes)  
Then I've gotta be strong (That's what it takes)  
Don't want to be wrong  
If that's what it takes_

 _The closer I get (That's what it takes)  
Into that open door (What it takes)  
I've got to be sure  
If that's what it takes_

With the instrumental Skye began to play air guitar as she knew the chords very well already. When she looked at her wife; who was laughing; she was startled to see there were many people around them. When she saw there were some phones being held up she looked away, getting herself back to the song as the music was nearing the point where they would be singing again.

 _And now that it's shining through  
And you can see all this world  
Don't let stop, never fade away_

Beckett wasn't surprised when Skye was looking intently at her wife, guessing that song was one of many special to the two. And thinking that she realized the two likely had practiced it together as they sang the next two lines before going into the chorus yet again.

 _If we got to be in this life forever, oh-oh  
Then we'd better be taking all the chances, oh-oh, oh-oh_

 _If that's what it takes (That's what it takes)  
Then I've got to be strong (That's what it takes)  
Don't want to be wrong  
If that's what it takes_

 _The closer I get (That's what it takes)  
Into that open door (What it takes)  
I've got to be sure  
If that's what it takes_

 _That's what it takes, that's what it takes  
That's what it takes, that's what it takes  
That's what it takes, that's what it takes  
That's what it takes, that's what it takes  
That's what it takes, that's what it takes_

 _Oh, that's what it takes  
Oh, that's what it takes  
Oh, that's what it takes  
Oh, that's what it takes  
Oh, that's what it takes (That's what it takes)_

Looking around them as the people that had stopped to listen were applauding, Skye said, "Thank you, that's from George Harrison. Enjoy your day here at Epcot."

Beckett waited for someone to stop and talk to her but; to the obvious relief of the investigator; no one ended up doing that. "That was amazing," she said when her friend walked over to her.

Smiling Skye said, "I love that song and Julia's quite right, that's a great one to take our minds off… that," ending by waving her hand towards the ride behind them. Before Beckett could say anything though she clapped her hands and said brightly, " _Shuí xiăng qú zhōngguó_?"

" _Wŏ zuò_ ," Beckett said, replying to Skye's questioning of who wanted to go to China with the words I do. "Rick's taught me some Mandarin."

Nodding her head Skye said to him, "You've done great with that. Now let's get to China!" She smiled at the laughter she got and started to make her way out of Norway so they could reach the China pavilion, her youngest daughters taking her hands as they asked her eagerly to teach her what to say in the language.

* * *

"Dad?" Julia asked.

"Yeah," Castle said, turning from the display he was looking at to his daughter. They had gone through the Chinese pavilion quickly since there was only a Circle vision movie that was about China. The kids had asked if they could save that movie; and what his father in law had discovered was another movie in both France and Canada; after lunch which was fast approaching. "Are you disappointed there aren't more rides here?" he asked, thinking of the fact that besides the movies they'd gone on the rides in that part of the park.

"Huh? No way! The places are so pretty, it's like we're there," Julia said hurriedly. "No what I wanna know is if we can go here someday."

Castle smiled, wrapping his arm around her before he said, "I was thinking the same thing. And Skye and Mary have talked to all of us about going to all the Disney parks and yes, we'll go."

"We will?" Eliza asked eagerly as she was walking over from another display that featured the Shanghai Disneyland Park.

"Yep, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai. All of them," Castle replied. He shared a smile with his wife before he then said, "I want to see them."

"Me too," Eliza said happily, trying to climb up on him before he picked her up. "What do we do now?" she said.

"Lunch," Beckett said when her husband glanced at her. She smiled when Julia breathed out and said, "I'm hungry too but girls we're going to walk past Germany, Italy, their American section and Japan a little quickly."

"But we all agreed once we finish with the UK we'll come back around to spend more time in those three countries," Castle added since the parents had all talked about that while their kids were walking around and taking pictures of the buildings in the China Pavilion before they'd gone to the house. They left and walked along the large lake in the middle of the park before he felt Julia tugging on his arm.

"Are we going so Fleur can see France?" the girl asked.

"Yes, but don't tell her," Castle said. "She thinks we're going back to Germany."

Beckett smiled when Eliza; on Castle's shoulders; pretended to zip her lips before the girls were looking at the Germany pavilion. She paused, turning to her father and mother in law, the former pushing Josie in her stroller.

"She's fine Katie," Jim told his daughter, smiling as he knew what she'd wanted as soon as she'd turned around. "Watching us and smiling."

"She's not fussing?" Beckett asked.

"She is now," Martha said as they looked down at the baby together seeing she was moving a little in the carrier.

"Hopefully she'll let us make it to the café," Beckett commented before they reached the Italian section. Watching the girls and her husband ahead she smiled widely as all three were staring at the buildings together before they moved onto the American section and they were looking again.

"They do take after Richard," Martha said, having been watching the three as well when they reached Japan. They passed it by quickly before she sighed seeing the Moroccan themed buildings and décor. "It's wonderful," she told the two with her.

"It is, hopefully you'll say the same about lunch," Beckett said as they were going into the café with the others all following.

It took some time to get lunch and they waited at their tables to eat together before Josie suddenly started to cry and Beckett rushed to get her in their corner of the patio seating.

"They're influencing each other," Lily said wryly as Sophie had begun crying shortly after. She sat next to her friend, not surprised when Jacob helped her, and Alexis helped Beckett in getting the baby covered.

"We should be surprised this hasn't happened before," Beckett said once their kids had gone over to the others. She then said, "What did you get?"

"Shawarma chicken," Lily replied. "The same?"

"Julia got that… I think a lot of us got that," Beckett said. She saw Louis was coming out and said, "I think they need more help."

"They do," Clara said, walking to them. "We're a lot of people… though two of them are having their meals now."

Studying the woman; as she couldn't forget what her cousin had told her about Clara's inability to have more children; Beckett saw she didn't seem to be saddened. So she then said, "Did you want to have dinner in the UK?"

"No, no, we'll stick with Mexico; we've never been," Clara replied quickly before the others were laughing with her. "But it should be quite nice to see their take on home."

The two women nodded in agreement before they saw those that had gone into the building to get the food were coming back. Luckily, they were able to finish nursing their babies shortly after that and once Josie and Sophie were in their carriers on the high chairs they sat with their families.

Looking at the food, Beckett made sure Eliza was alright with her hamburger before she turned to Julia, seeing her oldest was looking at her plate in slight confusion. She was about to ask if her daughter wanted her to explain what exactly she had on her dish before Julia was naming everything, though questioningly to let them correct her if they needed to.

"Chicken," the girl said first. "Hummus, couscous and bread? But what's this?"

"Tabbouleh," Castle said. "It's basically a salad."

"It has mint," Alexis said, having eaten some of hers.

"Is it good?" Eliza asked interestedly, looking at all their plates.

"Here," Jim said, getting some of his on his fork. When he heard her humming after she'd eaten it he smiled at his family and said, "I think she likes it."

"I guess so," Beckett said before she turned to Julia.

Nodding the girl said, "I like it too. How do you like the chicken?"

"It's good, but you know you can make a sandwich if you want," Beckett told her.

Julia looked on while her mother was taking the pita that she had on her plate, setting the chicken with its white sauce on it first, then some hummus and then couscous. "No salad?" she asked.

"I don't think so, I'll treat it as my side dish," Beckett replied. "Your dad did the same thing," she said as she'd glanced at her husband and saw he'd made a sandwich as well.

"Can I have a bite Daddy?" Eliza asked.

"You can have the first one," Castle replied. "Remember the couscous is in there and that has stuff in it." He wasn't surprised when the little girl just nodded, and he held his sandwich out to her so she could bite it. "Good?" he asked as she was chewing. At her nod he looked at Julia and saw she was already biting into her own sandwich. He focused on his food as they were all eating and doing so silently while they were getting their energy back after their walking.

When she saw everyone was finished, Eliza went to Martha and said, "Are we gonna go now?"

"We are," Castle's mother replied with a nod. She stood up and took her granddaughter's hand saying, "Help me take Josie out so we can be ready to go."

Going with them Julia said, "Now we can go."

When they were all together again the group made their way along the lake to the next country, looking at Fleur to see how she would react to the buildings as well as a replica to the Eiffel Tower that seemed to place them right in the heart of the city.

Skye, watching the little girl, tried not to suck in a breath of air when she saw Fleur's chin starting to wobble. When she started to cry she quickly grabbed her daughter's hand and took her to the nearest bench, murmuring to her lovingly in French as she gently thumbed away her tears.

"Is she kay Mommy?" Eliza asked, leaning against her mother.

"She will be," Beckett replied, knowing her friend was telling her daughter that they would return to France often. She was surprised when Skye promised Fleur a macaron but realized that she'd already scouted out the dining places in that pavilion. She knew it was going to help the little girl, as Fleur was smiling through her tears, and she said to her husband, " _You understood_?" in Irish.

"Yeah," Castle said in English, nodding his head.

"Is she alright?" Brad asked when Skye was standing up.

"She is, we should go ahead and watch those movies now," the investigator replied. "But we should go to China first and then come back here to France and watch the movie here."

"And then dessert," Fleur added with a smile.

"That," Skye said.

Laughing together the group turned back around; as no one had any trouble with that idea; and they made their way over to China to work off lunch before they would return to the more thrilling rides in the park.


	10. Because The World Is Round (Part 2)

"What're we gonna do now?" Julia asked her big sister as they were walking away from the building where they'd gotten their desserts.

"Watch that doesn't melt," Alexis said with a smile. "And we're going to walk through the rest of the countries until we finish with Canada."

"No more rides?" Mari asked.

"Not here," Louis said, since he was walking with them as well. "But the Future World part we've got some rides apparently."

Laughing with her friend Julia said, "We loved Test Track."

"I'll agree, it was a lot of fun," Louis said with a smile. "But I'm interested in those other rides."

"Some of them are low thrill," Eve said, coming up to them. "Your mom told me to tell you that we're almost at the UK."

"Oh… thanks," Julia said before she looked up and saw the teen was right. "Look," she said with a smile as they saw the buildings ahead. Something came to her then and said, "I'm gonna go ask Mom something," speaking to her big sister before she took Mari with her as they started to jog.

"They seem to always do that," Louis commented. "Are they attached at the hip perchance?"

"No, they're close though," Alexis said. "Obviously but I meant because they've known each other since they were three and four."

Louis nodded and said, "Should we have a bet?"

"About what?" Alexis asked, looking at him.

"If she'll be asking about Beatles things in the stores," Louis replied.

"I already knew," Alexis replied. When he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye she said, "I was eating my macaron."

"They are good, aren't they?" Louis asked before they turned their attention to their macaron ice cream sandwiches from the French pavilion.

"I know what you're going to ask," Beckett said quickly to her daughter as soon as she'd reached her with Mari. "And I think there will be Beatles things here but don't expect too much."

"Okay… where's Dad?" Julia asked when she realized she couldn't see him.

"Right here," Castle said, walking up to them from behind. "The Crown and Crest love."

With a nod Beckett pushed Josie's stroller over to that store when she saw they were nearing it. "Sweetie, you can get something now but just one thing," she told Julia as they stepped into the building and saw the merchandise for the band.

"Okay," the girl said eagerly before she was rushing as calmly as she could to what the shelves she'd first seen.

"She left me," Mari said in a jokingly bereft tone.

"She'll realize," Beckett said, trying not to laugh as they stepped into the store further.

"Mari, come look," Julia called to her friend.

"She was quicker than I thought she'd be," Castle said with a smile as he and his wife stopped at the side of the store.

"She's not going to forget Mari," Beckett replied as she looked down at the baby. She then felt her husband taking her hand that wasn't holding onto the stroller and she turned to look at him questioningly before he was swift to answer her.

"We're almost finished with this part of the park," Castle told her.

At first Beckett was a little confused before she realized what he was saying, and she asked him, "You want us to split up? It's a small park. Also, I don't want them going off on Test Track repeatedly."

"What about that ride we passed? Space?" Jim asked, walking up to the two.

Shaking his head Castle said, "I just asked a cast member about that ride and he said that for kids it might be too much. And I looked on my phone and people say that ride makes them sick."

"You'll be going on your own Rick," Beckett told her husband quickly.

With a smile at her Castle said, "I wasn't going to go after I heard that. But there are other rides too I'd like to try. Soarin'"

"Oh, that one they had in Anaheim but changed to be the world?" Beckett asked. "Is Eliza tall enough now?"

"She is," Castle said.

"Then we should go there first," Beckett replied. "And as for splitting up I'd like to speak to the other parents before we go ahead and do that."

Nodding, Castle turned with her as Julia and Eliza were coming over to them and he asked them, "Where's Mari?"

"She found something too, she's showing her parents," the latter told their father. "And I did, can I get this?" Julia asked, holding up the shirt she had.

Taking the light blue ringer shirt; dark blue on the sleeves and neck; Beckett studied the picture that was of the Beatles with bikes, a scene from the movie _Help!_ It said the band's name at the top of the picture with the song titles _We Can Work It Out_ and _Day Tripper_ underneath. She checked the size and said, "It looks good sweetie, you'll just have to wait a bit to fit into this size."

"I know," Julia said quickly.

Castle, looking over at Eliza, saw she was rocking back and forth and he asked, "What'd you get?"

Smiling, the little girl handed over her shirt, a grey one that had the band as they appeared in the animated _Yellow Submarine_ movie. "I don't have that one," Eliza said.

"No, you don't," Castle replied, handing it to his wife. "We have our things, we should go."

Julia didn't protest, as she was eager to look around the pavilion so she could take pictures, and after her parents had paid she was the first out of the store, rushing to take a picture of it. She smiled when her family followed; Martha even leaving the store to join them; and she took a few pictures of them before she hurried to the next building while she hoped they'd be going back to that country soon.

* * *

"I really hope she won't be scared on this one," Skye said to Beckett as they were standing next to each other in the line for Soarin'.

"I know," she replied, looking at Fleur who was with her sisters and Julia and Eliza. "But you know you mentioned asking for the lower level," Beckett told her.

"I did, but it's still… a worry," Skye replied. She then smiled slightly and said, "It's why Mary and I will surround her."

"Good idea," Beckett replied before they were moving forward, and she let the investigator go first so the McDouglases could ask for the lowest level of the three rows of seating. Turning to her husband she said, "We're going to go on the lower level too."

"Sure," Castle replied as Alexis was going with the McColloughs. He walked with Julia into the room where the ride was, smiling as Eliza was looking around with wide eyes. "We're going to go up sweetheart," he told her. "But not too, too high."

"Kay," Eliza said before her father set her down on a seat. She kicked her legs, looking down, before she saw Julia was sitting to her right.

"Is this okay? Dad's going to sit over there," the girl said, nodding over to their father.

"Yeah," Eliza said, looking at their mother who was to her left. She smiled and looked past her to the McDouglases, seeing Skye was talking seriously to Fleur before the room darkened. She gasped when their seats moved forward towards a screen and they were flying over the clouds.

" _Maman_ ," Beckett heard Fleur whimper.

"It's the Matterhorn," Skye said gently. "The park back at home has that."

Beckett smiled at her friend when she looked at her and she saw they were flying through some clouds again and they came out over some ice. She heard her daughters exclaiming over the polar bear that was jumping off a small shelf of ice into the water. She glanced at her husband before their daughters were exclaiming again and she looked in time to see a killer whale leaping through the water.

When they went through the clouds again, Julia nearly held her breath to see where they would go as they were banking to move with the movie on the screen. When she saw the buildings she immediately recognized it was Sydney and squeezed her father's hand tightly at the sight of the harbor it was on as well. "What's next?" she asked him quickly before she cried out with some of the other kids at the plane that was flying right to them. It led to the scene changing to a castle and she squeezed her father's hand again.

"It's in Germany," Castle told her as they were turning past the castle to the mountains. There was a flash of sunlight and they were in Africa, going above some animals towards Mount Kilimanjaro which he told her while they were going low over some elephants. He smiled when Julia and Eliza raised their legs before an elephant threw up some dirt with its trunk and they came out into China and the Great Wall. He looked at his daughters, not saying anything since they were well aware of the site.

Eliza was watching everything eagerly, wishing suddenly her grandparents had gone with them though she knew they were watching the three youngest. She realized the scene had changed after a kite flew in front of them and she squealed happily at the sight of the desert and camels going by before she turned to her mother just past Julia to ask where they were when she moved to her surprise in response.

Pointing at the screen, Beckett wasn't surprised when the little girl gasped as they swooped to the right and came to the pyramids at Giza. She smiled when Eliza kicked her legs a little at the sight of them and tried to look over at Julia but before she could see the screen was changing again.

Julia smiled as they were flying up to the Taj Mahal and she marveled at the sight of the structure. When they were just above the dome in the middle of the structure she frowned when it suddenly changed into a hot air balloon and she guessed they were somewhere in the American southwest. "Where is this?" she asked.

"Arizona," Beckett said hurriedly while they were flying through a space in the large butte they'd flown up. She was glad she'd managed to tell Julia that as an eagle swooped by them and the scene changed to a tropical island. She knew immediately it wasn't Tahiti but had the feeling it might be somewhere in the same area of ocean. She didn't have very long to think that as they going above people rowing in long boats before the scene changed to a waterfall.

"Is that Niagara?" Eliza asked.

Shaking his head, Castle was glad when the little girl didn't ask what waterfall it was then. But he could see why she was distracted as they were flying directly above, and he realized quickly where they were. As before though, there was some mist covering the screen and when it disappeared they were in Paris.

"They love Paris too lass," Skye said as she heard her daughter gasping. She smiled when Fleur did at that way the lights on the tower were flashing, making it look like it was glittering. Flying up to the top of the tower she said to Fleur, "Somewhere new."

After a flash of light went over the screen Beckett wasn't surprised to see the dome of Epcot. She wondered if the girls knew that meant they were at the end of the ride but wasn't surprised when they were oohing at the fireworks that were going off. When the screen went dark she applauded with the other riders and said to her husband as their row of seats were lowering, "Did you get everywhere we went?"

"I know the waterfalls were the Iguazu Falls," Castle replied. "That's in Argentina," he directed to the girls before they were being told they could take off their seatbelts. He did so quickly and then turned his attention to Eliza, helping her out before they were walking to the exit and the little girl was tugging on his hand at the same time.

"I wanna see everything," Eliza told him before her father picked her up.

"I'm not surprised, but we'll see what we'll be able to visit," Castle said.

"What about that pretty island?" Julia asked once they were outside and walking over to where Martha and Jim were.

"I'm looking at my phone," Alexis told them. "It was Fiji."

"Is that close to your island Daddy?" Eliza asked.

Laughing briefly Castle said, "Not mine, but no, it's a flight away."

"Hey, what're we gonna do now?" Jacob was asking his parents. "Can we go to the golf ball now?"

"Yes," Brad said. "Though you should ask everyone if they're okay going." When no one else said anything he said, "You guys are either okay or not."

"Let's go," Castle said in mock annoyance. He smiled when his friend shot him a look but there was no rancor behind it and they headed over to the ride.

"This one is slower," Beckett was telling her father and mother in law. "But I don't think Josie should be going."

"I'll stay behind," Martha said. When her daughter in law looked at her she said with a smile, "We read the description on the map."

"I'd like to see it," Jim said.

"Alright," Beckett said with a smile as she was aware of the ride herself. When they reached the exit, she followed her mother in law over to a bench saying, "Is there anything you'd like to go on?"

"Oh no," Martha replied. "I've gone on rides I've enjoyed."

"This ride takes a while," Lily said, coming over with Sophie. "Brad just asked, about fifteen minutes."

"That's fine," Martha said.

"Do you want a drink or anything?" Beckett said, slightly blanching hearing the amount of time.

"Go or else it will be even longer," Martha told the two women. She smiled as they said goodbye to their babies and watched them head with the others into the exit, looking at the strollers as she heard Sophie beginning to fuss. "Now Sophie," she told the baby, taking her out of her carrier. "You've been fed, and you were just changed…" she said as she gently rocked the baby against her shoulder. "If it's your mother you're missing she'll be back. They have to, we're right by the exit." She smiled as the baby was squirming slightly before she settled against her and she sat down again, using her hand to reach out to her youngest grandchild. She sat calmly with the two babies, both soon asleep, as they waited for their families and friends to go on the ride inside the geodesic dome they were sitting in the shadow of.

* * *

"How did we end up sitting together?" Beckett asked her husband as they were going through stars on the ride Spaceship Earth at the beginning.

"We wanted to sit together," Julia said, looking back at them with a smile. "Shh, the lady's talking."

Castle shared a look with his wife before they were obviously both fighting their laughter at their daughters and the ride then took their attention. Since at that moment the ride was dark after some lightning bolts appeared above them, he squeezed Eliza's shoulder in front of him and told her, "Don't worry, we went back in time so it'll be a little dark," since she'd whimpered slightly.

"Look," Julia whispered as they could see an animation of what she guessed was an ancient man. When she realized he was throwing a rock at a wooly mammoth she booed before her mother was squeezing her shoulder gently. "Sorry," she said.

"I don't blame you, but they needed to eat," Beckett told her gently.

Julia nodded in agreement with her before she and her sister turned their attention to the scene they were coming up to. At first, she thought it was a fire but soon saw it was inside a cave with the primitive people making paintings on the walls which she guessed was their communicating since she knew the ride was about that. She gasped with her sister when the cave paintings started to move and continued to as they passed by it.

"Ooh, the pyramids!" Eliza said eagerly as she could tell from the art to their right they were going there.

As the narrator explained the Ancient Egyptians inventing portable communication, Beckett found she couldn't stop smiling at the girls' expressions of awe. But she couldn't blame them as they were passing a man making papyrus, then a scene where a pharaoh was dictating something to a scribe while his queen sat next to him. She felt Castle squeezing her hand and smiled at him as she knew he was greatly enjoying the history as they moved on to the next scene.

Castle was glad to hear the narrator talking about the Phoenicians creating an alphabet to help their trade, since he didn't want him and Beckett to have to talk for too long to explain. He watched the scene of a boat and people trading go by before they went into the dark, going towards some columns. "Knew it," he commented.

Beckett glanced at her husband, wanting to say something about the fact that he apparently had known the next scene, but she held back as the girls were watching a group of Ancient Greek men listening to another teach about mathematics. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye and saw Eliza was taking a picture and she hoped they were both getting good shots since it was hard for her and her husband to help them.

"Where are we?" Eliza whispered as they came to the next scene. She thought they might have been with the same people as there was a man dressed in what she thought were robes talking to a soldier in front of a chariot.

"That was Greece a long time ago and this is Rome a long time ago," Julia was quick to explain. She was hurrying to take a picture and after she'd done so she looked ahead and said under her breath, "Uh-oh."

"It's nothing scary, this just happened when the Roman Empire fell, and they started to destroy things like scrolls," Castle told the two rapidly.

Eliza nodded, looking at the scene to their left with some arches and broken columns with what she knew was supposed to be fire flickering. She shifted a little uncomfortably and was relieved when they were drifting by to the next scene that were men with turbans talking together. She smiled when the narrator talked about Jewish and Islamic men that were preserving recorded information. "That's good," she said to her sister.

"Yep," Julia nodded as they went past what she knew was a library but with scrolls instead of books. She admired what she knew were supposed to be tiles, as they looked just like the ones they'd seen in the Morocco pavilion. After passing what she guessed was a monk writing she giggled with her sister as on the other side of the desk another monk was asleep. Seeing the next scene, she gasped and said, "It's the first printed books!" at the sight of the printing press.

"If we weren't writers would they be so eager?" Castle murmured into his wife's ear.

Beckett smiled and shook her head before they passed more scenes relating to the European Renaissance before they passed Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. They went through a post-Civil War newspaper scene, one with telegraphs and telephones before they passed under what was a cinema like marquee though it just read cinema. Seeing the theater screen, she saw the girls were taking pictures hurriedly before she heard Eliza asking what the things on their left were and was about to answer when she heard Julia doing so swiftly.

"Radio towers," the girl said. "Now we're on radios."

Nodding her head Eliza saw the next scene and said with a smile, "Now TV," as there was a family watching an old television set.

Going through the sixties, seventies and a tunnel with a computer code projected on it Castle breathed out in amazement as he realized it was the cupola of the dome. He was going to tell the girls what it was when he saw they were taking pictures and he realized they didn't really need to talk through the rest of the ride. Beckett leaning her head on his shoulder helped him decide that as he wrapped his arm around her to hold her close while they watched their daughters in front of them.

* * *

"Wa-wa, wa-wa-wa-wa-"

"Sweetheart," Castle said, stopping the little girl. "Do you not like the guacamole?" he asked.

"Wa-wa-wa," Eliza said in a slightly sing-song voice.

"I think she's saying gua at the beginning of the word," Julia said.

"I think so," Castle said in agreement. "So you like it?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. She was surprised to hear her grandmother laughing and looked over at her saying, "What's wrong Gram?"

"Your father did the same thing," Martha explained. "With a commercial that was around when he was a child."

"Oh…" Eliza said before she smiled at her father. "Do you remember?"

"Vaguely," Castle said. "Anyways, you like it," he continued, watching her eat the chip that she'd dipped into the guacamole they had gotten with their tacos with their meal at _La Cantina de San Angel_. They were next to the World Showcase Lagoon in the Mexico Pavilion and it was later in the evening, as they'd been finishing going through the Future World section.

"The tacos are good too," Julia said with a wide smile.

"Very," Jim added. "How is she?" he asked his daughter.

"She's good," Beckett replied as she'd checked on Josie. She leaned over and gently kissed the baby's forehead before she said, "So after this we need to go somewhere."

"We went everywhere though," Julia pointed out.

"We did, but we need to get something for your grandpapa if he'd like," Beckett said.

"The popcorn?" Jim asked. When his daughter nodded he smiled and then said, "I already have the popcorn you bought me at the Magic Kingdom."

"You should try it Grandpapa," Julia said.

Jim was about to speak before he thought for a moment and then nodded saying, "Alright, but if I get anything I'll share it."

"Is that our dessert?" Eliza asked.

"No, but don't ask yet we just finished," Beckett said firmly before they got up from the table and took their trash. She watched the girls hurry over to their friends and she sighed saying to her husband, "They'll want to go on Test Track again."

"Are you tired of it?" Castle asked.

"I don't think I can say that," Beckett replied. "But we need to go on something else."

"Well… I'd let them pick a ride themselves," Castle said. "But what would you say to us taking a break?"

"Letting our parents go?" Beckett asked, relieved that they were ahead of them.

"Yeah," Castle replied.

"Alright," Beckett said. "But," she then said swiftly as he was looking delighted with her answer. "They need to be alright with this."

"Sure," Castle said quickly, nodding his head.

Beckett smiled and squeezed his arm; since he was pushing Josie's stroller; before they walked around the lagoon and towards the Canada Pavilion. "Girls," she suddenly called. "And you Alexis," she said when the two looked at her. "We're going to take a picture; the six of us."

"In front of the totem poles?" Julia asked eagerly.

"Yes," Beckett said as they'd already taken a picture of their whole family together the first time they'd been to that pavilion. "Dad…" she said.

"I'll take it," Jim said as he took her camera. He waited for the five to stand in front of one of the totem poles at the entrance to the pavilion and once Josie was set in her father's arms he raised the camera, snapping a couple shots before the group moved.

"Very nice," Castle said, looking at the shot with everyone as Beckett held her camera.

"It is," Alexis said. "I'd like a copy of that."

"Sure," Beckett said with a smile, knowing that would go somewhere in the townhouse her stepdaughter was going to share with Louis. "Alright, we went right past the popcorn Dad."

"Mommy, what about a ride?" Eliza asked. "We wanna go on the Test one."

"I know but we can't go right away," Beckett said, waving to the McColloughs who were walking up to them. "Did everyone go into the gift shop?"

"Yeah, they wanted to take a last look," Brennan said first.

"Did they tell you they want to go on Test Track again?" Clara asked.

"Oh, they did," Castle replied. "But we're going to let them go on a slower ride… or two."

"Great you had the same idea," Brennan then said. "The parents should have some time off."

Hearing the girls and Erin laughing, and the expression her husband gave them, Clara said, "Some time on their own is a better way to say it Bren."

"Alright… but we should tell the other three couples," Brennan said.

"Alexis, Louis-" Beckett started to say.

"It's alright," the former said quickly. "It's a little hard for them to take care of all those kids on their own."

"But would you be alright if we go on our own tomorrow?" Louis asked.

"Dad!" "Daddy!"

"Why do they always call me out?" Castle asked his wife in mock annoyance.

"Because you relish telling them," Beckett said with a smile. She couldn't help it and she leaned over to him, kissing his cheek before she said, "Let's get them all over here, tell them what park is up for tomorrow and then talk about our plans for the next few rides." She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded and he, Brennan and Louis left them and she turned with her family to the popcorn stall where they went to try it. She watched her father; as they all were; while he ate the sample he'd gotten of the maple popcorn, waiting to see what he would say about it once he had finished.

"I'll get a small bag," Jim said, smiling at his family when he'd finished. "But you're sharing."

"Mommy-" Eliza started to say when they saw the others were coming over to them with Castle.

"After we go on Test Track again," Beckett said. "Actually… Rick."

"I thought the same thing," Castle said quickly. "And what about in Norway?"

"Really?" Erin asked.

"Yeah, we had ice cream already so now something baked but small," Castle replied. "But that's for our girls, better ask your parents."

"Go! That way we won't miss going on the rides," David called out jokingly.

The group made their way around to the Norway Pavilion and the _Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe_ where they bought their desserts, going to Future World where they knew there were some tables near the entrance.

"Easy," Beckett said to Eliza as she was biting into the berry Cream Puff they were sharing. She made sure the cream wouldn't fall to the table and once the little girl was done she took a bite herself. After she had done so she said, "Do you know where you're going to go?"

"I think the Imagination ride," Julia said, once she'd eaten some of the cream puff that she and Castle were sharing. "And then probably Mission-"

"Julia," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

Giggling briefly as her parents were looking at each other Julia said, "Kidding, we're probably gonna go through the Spaceship one again 'cause that takes a while."

"And after can we go on the fast cars?" Eliza said hopefully.

"I think so," Beckett said with a smile. "Since you're going there we'll stay here."

"Well… that bench," Castle said, looking over towards the geodesic dome. He ate the last of his half of the puff and got up with the others as they were finishing as well. They went over to the ride they'd gone on second to last in that part of the park and he said, "So we'll meet at Test Track in about forty-five minutes," not surprised when the kids looked at each other immediately.

"If you're early," Lily said. "I think we can all agree they can go to the… Wait, there aren't any gift shops around here are there?"

"We can walk around," Jacob suggested.

"If you do stay around Test Track and on the main path," David said to Mari.

"I think that goes for all the kids," Beckett said.

"We'll make sure they won't go off on their own," Martha said gently to remind the parents the kids would have four adults with them.

"Then have fun until we meet again," Brad said before the kids were leaving them. "See you guys later," he told the other couples quickly before walking away.

Beckett smiled, watching them go before she said, "Where are you guys going?"

"I suppose over to the UK," Brennan said. "Would love some ale."

"We'll follow," David said quickly, looking at his wife.

"Think they'll sit together?" Skye asked with a smile.

"No, what about you two?" Beckett said.

Shaking her head Mary said, "We'll figure that out as we go," before she grabbed her wife's hand and they were walking away leaving Castle and Beckett to look at one another in their wake.

" _What're the odds they're going to make out_?" Castle asked his wife in Irish once they were completely alone.

" _Extremely good_ ," Beckett said, smiling at him. "Come on," she told him before they walked over to Test Track. "You know if you want to go for a ride you could. I don't know if you'd feel sick after but-"

Placing his hand on his wife's arm Castle told her, "I don't want to, we'll be going on after I'm sure."

Beckett smiled slightly and said, "I'm just letting you know."

With a slight nod Castle said, "The same for you."

Nodding a little Beckett looked ahead of them as they were nearing the familiar circular structure of the ride and she walked straight to a bench before she turned to Josie. Taking her out of the carrier she told her husband, "She needs to sleep."

"I noticed," Castle said, referencing the fact that she was still awake. He was startled when she handed the baby to him and said, "Okay?"

"I'm fine, I need to use the restroom," Beckett explained with a smile. She then turned her attention to their daughter and gently kissed the top of her head saying, "I love you sweetie, be a good girl for your daddy."

"She will," Castle said, smiling slightly himself as he was watching her. He took Beckett's arm with his free hand and pulled her close, kissing her a little deeply than he'd meant to, but he couldn't help it.

When they slowly parted Beckett smiled at him and said, "I'll be back."

Castle couldn't help watching her walk away from him before he murmured to the baby, "Hopefully when you're older you don't mind I do this. I love your mom a lot." He smiled when the baby sounded like she was sighing, and he looked down at her saying, "And I love you too Josie. Sweet dreams _ceann beag_." He kissed the top of her head and began to pace back and forth, gently rocking her so he could get her to sleep as he waited for his wife to come back.

When she was walking back to the two, Beckett spotted her husband was sitting on the bench, holding Josie closely to him. She was tempted to stop and take a picture of them but continued to walk as she could tell the baby was asleep.

"Hey," Castle said, looking up to see his wife was nearing them.

"Hey, she's set?" Beckett asked.

"She has been for a while; she was tired," Castle said. "But I wanted to ask you something. Would we be able to take her to our room tonight?"  
"Keep her here with us?" Beckett asked. When her husband nodded she said gently, "I don't like her being outside and Eliza's going to need to go to bed herself."

Sighing heavily Castle said, "I knew already but…"

"You were hoping?" Beckett asked, squeezing his arm. At his nod she leaned over and gently brushed her lips to his cheek before she said, "Go ahead and put her in the carrier."

"But I don't wanna," Castle said in his most child-like voice. He smiled when Beckett rolled her eyes and stood up before he put Josie carefully into the carrier. He kissed her forehead gently before his wife did the same and when they were sure their baby was still asleep they sat down on the bench together. "You know what I just realized?" he asked her.

"I know," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "They'll remember though and ask once they come over here."

Castle nodded and said, " _A bhféadfainn póg athabhairt duit ceart anois_?"

Smiling as he had asked if he could kiss her, ending with the words right now a little strained, Beckett said, " _Ná dean dearmad_ -" she started to say, telling him not to forget before he interrupted her.

Feeling a little bad he'd kissed her before she could have finished talking Castle was a little relieved when she responded to him, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could. He held her close, but they didn't really involve themselves in each other for very long and he sighed as they parted from each other. "I'll do better… at some point," he told her.

"I will too," Beckett said. She smiled when he looked surprised briefly and said, "I'm serious." She turned to look at their baby and said, "Hopefully they'll get here soon."

Laughing quietly Castle said, "I don't blame you. He then wrapped his arm around her and holding her close told her, "Do you mind if we go on the ride together?"

Studying her husband for a moment Beckett reached up and gently cupped his face in her hands before she brushed her lips to his. When she pulled back she said as she stared into his eyes, "I'd love to."

Breathing out hard Castle said, "I love you," a little huskily.

Beckett's only response in that moment was to lean over, taking her husband's lips a little roughly at first before she relaxed at the same time as him and they parted to press their foreheads against one another. "I love you too," she was finally able to tell him before she leaned against him again. They remained there until they saw their friends coming back to them before their kids with their parents, Alexis and Louis. She could hear the kids all talking at once and she murmured, "I wonder what happened."

"Easy you guys," Brad was telling the kids once they were all gathered together. "You're going to wake up the babies."

"Where are we going Dad? You never told us," Julia asked him.

"I'm surprised you guys forgot," Castle replied. "We're heading over to the Hollywood Studios Park."

Skye smiled at the whispers between the kids and she said, "You don't mind?"

"Why would we?" Marie asked.

"There isn't much there," Rebecca said.

"That's alright, this was the one you said we'd go over to the Magic Kingdom, isn't it?" Eve then asked.

"It is but we might stay there all day," Beckett replied. "And I know you're going to ask, it opens at nine and closes at nine thirty."

"Nine thirty? That's an odd time to close at," Brennan commented. "You do realize that means we have an hour and a half."

"We are going to go, right?" Fleur asked softly.

"We are," Castle assured them. "But Eliza…"

"I can't go… oh please let me go!" the little girl begged her parents.

Sharing a look with her husband Beckett sighed and said, "Sweetie we can but if you fall asleep then or after when we're at the park someone will take you back to the hotel. And no tantrums okay?"

Eliza nodded her head so fast that her Mickey ears hat was knocked slightly askew. She giggled when the others laughed and then said, "I won't, thank you Mommy, Daddy."

"You're welcome, let's go before you fall asleep now," Castle told her before they said goodbye to Jim and Martha who remained with the babies and Dani. He put Eliza onto his shoulders and walked with her perched there as they made their way over to the ride, going through the exit while the kids were all talking happily to their parents about their time on the two rides before then until they neared the loading platform.

"How are we going to sit?" Ivy asked Skye interestedly.

"Well… we have one less person, so I guess just try to gather by six," Skye said. She looked at the girls and sighed saying, "So many children," in an exaggerated voice. She smiled when Iris and Fleur giggled while they hugged her together she said, "Who'll-"

"I will," Fleur said quickly.

"We're gonna go together," Eliza said with a giggle. "And with Grandpapa."

"I'll sit with you Mom, Dad," Julia told them.

After Alexis told the three she would sit with Eliza and Fleur behind them, Beckett moved after her husband, going in the middle of the front seat again. Sitting down she smiled at Julia who was in the driver's seat before they took off down the track. She reached for her oldest's hand as they were going up the incline to the main part of the ride and she smiled at her daughter before they began going through the 'tests'.

"This takes too long," Julia told her mother in a murmur.

"It does," Castle called out as they finally reached the room before the outside of the track.

Julia screamed out in exhilaration as they took off through the opening doors, exiting into the evening, holding her hands up while she heard her parents next to her yelling too. She didn't have a chance to react to that as they were going so fast but when they eventually slowed down she smiled and said, "What do we do now?"

Glancing behind her, Beckett smiled herself but didn't say anything in response before she looked ahead and felt her husband squeeze her hand. When they were off the ride and walking over to where her father and mother in law were she went to Rebecca and David.

Watching her mother Eliza asked, "Do I need to go to bed?"

"I'm afraid so sweetie," Beckett said, back with them. "You've been yawning a lot. But we need you to do Rebecca and David a favor."

"Kay," Eliza said interestedly.

"Hold Dani's hand while you're going back," Beckett told her.

"So they don't have to leave and then come back?" Eliza asked. When her mother nodded she smiled a little and said, "I can do that."

"Good," Beckett said before she picked the little girl up. "I love you sweetie."

"I love you too Mommy," Eliza said. "I'm happy for tomorrow."

"Me too," Beckett said before they shared a kiss. She handed their middle daughter to Castle, watching him hug her tightly before Eliza gave him a smacking kiss on his cheek.

"I love you Daddy," the little girl said.

"I love you too, sleep tight because tomorrow we're going to Hollywood," Castle told her with a smile as he gently bounced her on his hip.

Giggling Eliza shared a kiss with him before she was set down and she went to her older sisters, hugging them both before she went to Dani. "Bye," she said, waving to everyone.

Watching them go over to the entrance Rebecca asked, "How is she not upset at going?"  
"She feels grown up," Julia said with a smile at everyone. "So now what do we do?"

"Go through the rides again," Castle said. "But we have something at nine."

"What?" Eve asked. "Oh, it's not a parade, is it?"

"No, a show on the lagoon over there," Brad said. "We should split up."

"We should but where do we meet and where do we get good spots to watch the show?" Mary asked.

"Text everyone when you go to the lagoon and we'll see where we are," Castle told them. When the others nodded and started to split up he wasn't surprised when his daughter went off with her boyfriend and he turned to Julia.

With a smile the girl said, "What do you guys want to do?"

"Well… I think we can head around the world again," Castle said, looking at the two as they were alone.

"That's a good idea," Beckett said with a nod. "But I think Julia wants to go on Test Track again."

"At night," the girl explained.

"That's a good idea," Castle told her. "We should go in the other direction."

"Yeah," Julia said, knowing her father meant going from Canada and then around to Mexico. She took his hand as her mother was getting her camera ready and then walked to the pavilion before she said, "Eliza wants to go."

"I'm not surprised," Castle said while they watched Beckett taking several pictures. "And we will I'm sure."

"Because it's right there?" Julia asked, pointing where she thought was north before her father was moving her arm. She giggled and said, "Yeah, there."

"That and because we liked Toronto when we went," Castle said. "We'll go there and Vancouver and…"

"There are a lot of places Dad, I know," Julia said. She looked at her mother and said, "Do you want us to go?"

"Yes," Beckett said reassuringly. "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah," Julia said eagerly as she knew next was the UK. As they were walking she got an idea and she went to her mother, squeezing her hand tightly in her excitement before Beckett was stopping them right by a gate that was in front of a large white building. She was tempted to ask her what was wrong when her mother spoke to Castle in Irish and she waited. When they finished she opened her mouth as Beckett turned to her and stopped her by wrapping her arm around her and pulling her to her side.

"We might have to leave Test Track for after the show," she told her daughter.

"Oh… is there time?" Julia asked in surprise.

"There will be," Castle said. "And I think a ride or two more," he said, looking at his wife.

"I think so," Beckett said before they were walking through the UK section. "Think of what you'd like to go on. And don't pick Test Track all those times."

"For the second ride?" Julia asked hopefully. She smiled when her mother gently pinched her cheek and she said, "Thanks!" as she knew that meant yes. She looked ahead of them at the maze they were coming to and she went through it, knowing they could do so quickly. With her parents following her she walked through and when they were out she was walking with the two as they went to each pavilion. "Hey," she said eagerly when they were at the Italy Pavilion. "There's Mari and her parents."

"You guys are sitting for the show already?" Castle called in surprise as the three were leaning against the railing.

"It's the best spot," David said. "With the golf ball and everything."

Mari and Julia laughed together before the latter turned to her parents and said, "Can we stay?"

"Alright," Castle said. "Are you thirsty though? I wanted to get us some drinks."

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod.

"You should text the others," Beckett said.

"I was about to; we just got here," Rebecca answered.

Nodding Beckett then said, "I'll go with him." She went to her husband and took her hand before she said, "She doesn't need more sugar; not this late."

"I was actually going to that tea place," Castle said. He saw his wife looking hesitant and said, "We can get something a little less sweet."

With a sigh Beckett said, "Alright, is that why you let me come with you?" When he nodded and smiled she laughed and gently squeezed his hand before they were walking together up to the China Pavilion as fast as they could.

When they were at the small stall, Castle studied the menu and said, "I'm tempted to get the smoothie."

"There are two," Beckett said in confusion, looking at him. She then smiled and said, "I'll get the strawberry one and let Julia take a few sips but only that." When he looked like he was about the protest she told him, "It does have caffeine."

"Oh… alright," Castle said before he stepped up to order. While they were waiting for the smoothies he said, "Hopefully she won't mind."

"She won't," Beckett said with a smile. She looked at the path around the lagoon with him and waved as she spotted Skye and Mary with their daughters.

"Hey, getting a cuppa?" Skye asked them when they were close.

"A smoothie," Castle corrected. When the girls started to turn to their mothers he told them hurriedly, "They have tea in them."

"You can have ours a bit," Skye told her daughters. "But we should go because it's nearly time for the show."

"Did you go on any rides?" Beckett asked the investigator as Mary was ordering and Castle was picking up their drinks.

"The Mexico one," Skye replied. She smiled and said, "The girls liked that one. You?"

"We just walked until we got to Italy and saw the Fosters," Beckett replied. "But she wants to go on Test Track twice."

Laughing Skye said, "They want to as well, should we just stay together?"

"If you'd like to, we'll have to ask the others," Beckett said before her husband and Mary were walking back to them.

"Would you guys take our kids?" Skye then said. "We won't be too much longer."

"Sure," Castle said, looking at the five. "Let's go."

"Who's there?" Marie asked.

"The Fosters and Julia," Beckett answered as they walked back.

"What about Eliza?" Fleur asked. "She's going to miss this," she said.

"She is but I'll film it with my phone so she can at least watch it," Castle replied. They were nearing Italy and when they did he said, "Oh, I guess it's the Davises and McColloughs too."

"Don't run," Beckett said as Iris let go of her hand and rushed with her sisters to the others. "Hey, you got tired of the rides?" she asked, walking up to Lily as their kids were at the railing talking together.

"No, we suggested we should go so we had space to look at the show," she replied. "Do they want to go on Test Track too?"

With a smile Beckett nodded and said, "First after this and then last."

"They said the first two rides we go on right now," Lily said. "Your idea sounds better. I wonder if there's a ride like that one in the other park."

"I'm not sure," Beckett said. She then leaned over and murmured into her friend's ear for a moment before leaning back with a shrug.

"That might be our husbands," Lily said with a laugh.

"True but the kids would enjoy it," Beckett said, looking past her friend and seeing that Skye and Mary were coming down to them. "I think we're all here."

"We are, and it's a while until this starts," David said, looking at his watch. "Where did you get those drinks?" he asked Castle and Beckett.

"Over in the China Pavilion," the former said first. He wasn't surprised when the other parents left and he said to Skye and Mary, "It's worth it."

"It is," Mary commented, letting Kathleen sip her mango green tea smoothie. She was about to speak when Ivy came over to her then and took her hand, getting her attention and making her look down at her.

"Are we gonna go on rides after?" the little girl asked.

"Of course," Mary said.

"Should we all go together?" Castle said. When the kids were all nodding he said, "Ask your parents but we were going to suggest that since it sounds like you all want to go to one ride."

"Can you blame us?" Eve said.

"It's a cool ride," Mari said.

"Yeah, I'll agree with you," Castle said before he thought of something looking over at Marie and Kathleen. "How does it hold up to your ride?"

Sharing a smile with her twin, the latter said, "They're different so you can't compare them."

"Yeah, the tracks are different too," Marie added. "They're fun because they're different."

"Okay," Castle said.

"Do you ever want to go to Disneyland again?" Kathleen asked.

"I get the feeling we will this fall," Beckett commented, smiling. She watched as those had had been to that park told Ivy and Iris about it a little before the parents started to come back. As they waited for the show to start she stood with her husband and said, " _Are you going to go crazy tomorrow_?" speaking in Irish.

Castle fought back some laughter and then shook his head telling her, " _We've been on the ride before. But_ Brad _and_ David _haven't_."

" _I warned their wives_ ," Beckett said wryly. When he made a slight face at her she couldn't help laughing and she turned her attention to the water as Julia hurried over to them.

"Is it going to start?" the girl asked her parents.

"It is," Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her before the first firework went off. She smiled when her daughter and husband both cheered at the sight of it before they watched the fire in the water.

Placing his hand on his wife's shoulder, Castle waited for her to turn to him and he leaned down to her. Though he knew he shouldn't really do that since they were surrounded he couldn't stop himself. He gently kissed her before they parted soon after and he smiled at her. When Julia stepped to her right to stand with Mari he wrapped his arm around his wife, holding her close. They enjoyed the fireworks with their friends and family, the show an entertaining highlight of exploring the park and a reminder they had much more to look forward to as another day at the resort was coming to an end.


	11. Legend Of The Silver Screen

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I'm sure readers might wonder why I don't mention Toy Story Land in this chapter but when I started writing it, it was still a while from being open, so I had no way to write it in as I need videos of the rides and of course they weren't there yet. And that applies to Galaxy's Edge; the Star Wars themed land; which in current time isn't opening until next year while the chapter takes places in 2020. But the next time I write them going to this park both lands will be there!

A/N #2: The brief lyrics I have in this chapter are from the songs _We All Stand Together_ by Paul McCartney and _Yellow Submarine_ by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album _Revolver_.

A/N #3: I was really happy getting the feedback for the last chapter that I did in the end so will get to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (It was great you liked how the kids were in awe of what they were seeing, I figured they would since Epcot can definitely inspire that. And pleased to read you thought it was good writing all around!),

MsNYC (Great you thought it was cute that Eliza wanted to tell Dani about the ride she couldn't go on. And I wasn't surprised you were thinking what Julia said about there being a police woman with them on the ride, lol. And I've watched Test Track on YouTube and it is really cool; I can imagine it's even better actually riding it and I know it's definitely popular. And great you thought Beckett did a good job with the Mandarin, lol. And I figured it was time for the babies to start needing to nurse close in time to each other, lol. Not surprised you're glad that Fleur is okay. But I agree, being homesick can definitely suck! And yeah, lol, everyone there knew Julia loves the Beatles already so no surprise. Oh, and great you think that Castle and Beckett usually have great plans. And I wanted to convey everyone was enjoying the park so glad you caught that. I'm glad you thought Beckett getting Eliza to go back to the hotel to help Dani was a smooth move and nice work; I figured it'd be one way to stop a tantrum, lol. Happy to see you thought it was great writing as usual. And I'm pleased to see you're looking forward to the coming chapters too!) and

Mb (I was really glad seeing you thought the chapter was very sweet and funny. I wasn't surprised you loved how they were having fun at Epcot. I'm not surprised you didn't go on the Frozen ride with your sons, lol. And I would go on it but plug my ears on the song since it's very easy for me to get songs stuck in my head, lol. It's why I had Skye singing the song she did after that one. And too bad they couldn't check out Cars Land at California Adventure; that land is amazingly well done; I think they'd enjoy it too, whatever their ages now, lol. And not surprised you mentioned Fleur being a little sad at the French pavilion. But yeah, at least she would be taken back to France since she has a family that loves her and would take her. Great you thought the first half was a sweet update. And you're welcome for it too! I was happy to read you thought the second half was beautifully written. I'm not surprised you're jealous and want to go back, it is an amazing park though they all are. Yeah, I'd seen the ride Mission: Space has two different intensities, but I tried watching the medium level ride but since I had Vertigo I had to stop so I couldn't really write it out. Ah, not surprised you liked Tower of Terror, if I liked drops I'd love that ride myself since I love the show The Twilight Zone it's based on. Not surprised there was such a long wait for Rock n Rollercoaster I know that one's popular too. And yeah, there really wasn't a lot in that park when I was looking into it but speaking of eating there's one restaurant I had to write about that'll be mentioned, lol. And yeah, they're building Galaxy's Edge there and it'll be opening next year though I can't write about it yet since I have no videos or info about it. And I'm really happy I could write Soarin' well enough, I did use a video of it on YouTube- I do for all the rides I write about since it helps my writing- though I will admit that I prefer the old version which was Soarin' Over California. And not surprised you went on Test Track several times, the ride Radiator Springs Racers at California Adventure is the same type of ride and I would go on that repeatedly if the line for it wasn't so long. So happy you thought the second half was an awesome update. And you're welcome for sharing it too!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them as usual and am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #4: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Honey Pie_ by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles eponymous album.

Legend Of The Silver Screen

"I'mtakingElizatoStarToursthanksbye," Castle said in a rush as he scooped up their middle daughter and started to run ahead of them.

"Rick," Beckett said simply as the little girl was squealing with laughter.

"Sorry Eliza," Castle said as he stopped running immediately. "I tried."

"Thanks Daddy," the little girl said with a smile. She held his hand as they walked back to the others and Eliza asked, "What do we go on first?"

"To a ride we can all go on, well," Beckett began. "Not your little sister but Dani can go."

"Mom," Julia said as she was holding the map to the park. "There really isn't that much here."

"I know," Beckett replied. "But we'll stay until after lunch, maybe go on rides a second time around and then head to the Magic Kingdom."

"We need to, don't we?" Alexis asked as they paused when some of their group behind them were stopping to take pictures.

"I… maybe made some reservations," Castle said slowly. "But not just me," he said, pointing to his daughter.

Glancing at her stepmother and sisters, Alexis gently made him lower his arm and said, "Who thought of it."

Giggling with her sister when Castle made a face Julia said, "Where?"

" _The Crystal Palace_ , sorry it's on Main Street-" he started to say.

"Hold on," Brad commented, walking up to them. "You didn't make reservations yesterday you know; neither did all of us."

"How did you keep that a secret?" Jim said.

"We forgot," Castle said. "Don't ask how but luckily the resort sent me a reminder yesterday on the way back from Epcot. The reason being because there will be characters there…"

"Why did you trail off?" Martha said, studying her son.

"What characters?" Julia asked.

"Winnie the Pooh and-" Castle began before he heard Eve gasping.

"Will Eeyore be there?" the teen asked hopefully.

"He will, your favorite character?" Beckett replied. When Eve nodded she smiled and said to her husband, "Good choice," before Eliza was rushing over to her and tugging at her hand.

"Will Piglet be there?" the little girl asked.

"She will," Castle said. When Eliza squealed he asked, "Do you want to take your picture with him?"

"I'll take it for you sweetie," Beckett told her. She squeezed her hand when Eliza jumped up and down before she turned to everyone else. "We should start moving, we're a lot of people standing around."

"She's right, time for the rides!" Skye said, pulling on Ivy's hand. "Speaking of rides…"

"Toy Story," Rebecca said as they were heading to the ride. She smiled when Castle and Beckett looked at her and she told them. "It was the obvious choice."

"How're we going to sit?" Julia asked. "It's two people together."

"We could go on this many times then," Brennan said.

"We should, since we don't have much to go on and we have these bands of course," Clara commented.

"If you want to you should," Beckett said with a smile. "We are."

"Everyone can go?" Eliza asked, still walking with her mother.

"Yes," Beckett said quickly as the kids were looking back at a pond they were passing. "Who do you want to sit with?"

"Can I go with Jules?" Eliza said with a giggle.

"You can," Beckett said, smiling when the little girl looked surprised. "Really, but your daddy and I will be sitting behind you." When Eliza nodded she looked up and saw they were nearing a street that was headed with the word Pixar in metal. They found the ride shortly after and went through the exit as they could see a lot of people going into the line already. When they got to the loading platform it didn't take very long for her, Castle and their daughters to get their seats in a car together before they were starting to move.

"Should we make this a competition?" Castle asked.

"No," Beckett replied. "Girls?" she called to them.

"We'll have fun," Julia said though she had to speak a little loudly. She looked at her sister and said, "Think Daddy will?"

"I dunno," Eliza replied, giggling again. She then looked at the screen they were stopping in front of and when Woody and Rex appeared with shields she and her sister started to fire their play guns at them until curtains closed and they moved on again. "I hope I get points."

"You will," Julia said before they were stopping at screens again.

"I hope Eliza can get this," Castle said as the piggy bank character from the movies was speaking and he and Beckett were starting to fire at the targets that were behind it. He aimed the best he could though he knew there wasn't much time and when they finished said, "Nice job getting that duck."

"You were close," Beckett said with a smile as they moved on. Her husband only had a moment to nod to her before they were coming to their next game which involved popping balloons which they both did as fast as they could, wondering how the girls were doing behind them.

"I got that one Jules!" Eliza cried out on the other side of the car.

"I saw, keep shooting," Julia said with a laugh as they continued to do so until the game stopped. She was laughing again, with her sister that time, as they were jerked slightly when the car moved again, and they spun around to the next screen.

"I have those!" Eliza cried at the sight of the army men from the movie.

"Hurry and shoot the plates," Julia said with a laugh as she was already firing at the plates that were the targets.

Shooting furiously on the other side Castle didn't watch his wife to see how she was doing. He could see her ammo on the screen out of the corner of his eyes but focused on his own until the plates were disappearing. "My arm is getting a work out," he said before they spun around again.

Shaking her head, Beckett didn't have time to reply as the next game, the crane toy aliens, began and she focused on firing hoops to land on the toys. When it finished she told him, "What if I win?"

"Oh, now you want to bet," Castle said before she was laughing softly. He was tempted to lean over and kiss her when they came to another set of screens. Shooting at the targets; in a western themed game; he was pleased at his accuracy and then glanced over at his wife quickly. Seeing she was doing as well he smiled before the car was moving though they could still shoot on the other screens. He laughed with his wife when they could both hear their middle daughter crying out in surprise, but they soon focused on continuing to shoot at the targets.

When they stopped they were at a mine themed section of the game and Beckett shot at a few targets before a large 500 one appeared before she and Castle were firing as fast as they could. She was laughing yet again when Eliza squealed, knowing the two behind them were firing rapidly too. When they disappeared, they went to the last screen which was Buzz Lightyear showing them their scores. She looked at her husband when they saw their points and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him a few times on the cheek.

"Okay, okay," Castle said laughingly as she'd managed to beat him. " _I'll give you a prize… I think in_ DC."

Beckett brushed her lips against his when he turned to her and she quickly straightened up as they turned to go to the loading platform. When she and Castle had disembarked she said, "Let's hope Eliza did well."

Nodding his head Castle turned towards their daughters as they were hurrying around to them, Eliza throwing her arms around him and crying out excitedly before he could ask how she'd done in the games.

"I almost got as much as Jules!" the little girl cried out eagerly.

"Really? Great job," Castle said, picking her up so they could get out of the way of the people coming off the ride behind them. "Next time we come here we'll go together."

"Kay," Eliza said eagerly. "Now what?"

When her husband looked at her Beckett smiled and said, "Yes, we can go on Star Tours now."

When their little girl squealed, Castle said, "She wants to go too."

"And me," Julia said before they were reaching Martha and Jim who'd stayed off the ride. She looked at Josie and said, "Too bad she can't go too."

"When she's older she may have the chance," Beckett commented. She saw the others looking at her and she said, "Star Tours."

"Oh good," Skye said. "I was about to suggest that," she added as they began to walk over to the ride that was close.

"How many times are we going to go on this ride?" Jacob asked.

"It depends on if they're showing the same possibilities," Castle said.

"Try it a second time and if it's the same that's it?" Brad asked.

"I wouldn't want to go on the same set a third time," Castle said.

"Let's wait until after lunch for that second time," Lily said in amusement, watching the two. "But Eve and Jake have asked already about leaving early in the afternoon."

"It's odd," Clara said. "They were bored with the rides, weren't they?"

"I think the two day break we had was long enough," Beckett said in amusement.

"Are we all alright heading back there ourselves?" Skye said.

"I am," Castle said. "We're not going to have a chance to go back after today since we're nearly finished here."

"Not a problem," Mary said. "I'm eager to see my wife in her robes."

Glancing at her wife Skye said something wryly in French before she said in English, "Never mind," to the other parents.

"Guys," Louis called from ahead. "We're here."

"The exit," David said. "The line's half an hour already," he said to the others though they could all easily see the number.

"Mother," Castle said as Martha sat down on the bench they'd found at the exit. "Do you mind going the second time around?"

"Not at all," his mother replied. "I am hoping it's the same show."

"It's not-" Castle started to say before his wife put her hand on his arm and he stopped himself.

"We'll be right out," Beckett said with a smile before she and her husband walked back to where the others were. When they were walking through the exit she took his hand and murmured, "For all intents and purposes it's a show."

"One of the greatest movies of all time more like," Castle said. He laughed when his wife playfully pushed at his shoulder and he smiled at her saying, "I wasn't about to argue."

"Good," Beckett replied. " _Suí in aice liom_?" asking him to sit next to her.

" _Ní raibh ort an iarraidh_ ," Castle replied, saying she didn't have to ask before he squeezed her hand while they were reaching a cast member standing outside the exits of the rooms.

* * *

"Where did we go Daddy?" Eliza asked as her father put her up on his shoulders. "So we remember."

"We were stopped by that Imperial droid first," Castle said as they were walking over to the Sunset Boulevard section for the next two rides. "And then we jumped into light speed," he said as he was actually jumping on the word. He smiled at his wife as their daughter above him laughed and when she smiled a bit back at him he then said, "And we were in Jakku flying around with the Falcon."

"That was cool!" Eliza said eagerly.

"It was," Alexis said as she was walking with them. "And then we went back to space and BB-8 talked to us about the spy."

"That was Iris," Eliza giggled as the girl had been shown on the screen.

"Yep and then we jumped again," Castle said, jumping as well. "Before we were on Coruscant and we were flying around and everything and there were droids on the windshield and then we went down and crashed into that last droid."

Beckett bit at her lower lip, wondering if her husband knew how touching it was to watch him moving Eliza around as he was speaking, making her squeal in joy. She knew that was because they weren't going to let her go on the last ride and the little girl couldn't go on the one they were walking to. But she shook herself as her husband stopped and turned to her before she said, "It was fun though."  
"Yeah, I'm glad I can go on that one," Eliza said eagerly. She then looked ahead and asked, "That's it?"

Looking at the giant red electric guitar that was on the outside of the building Castle said, "That's it. Let's get you a place to sit with everyone." He took her off his shoulders and went over to some benches that were mostly empty, letting Eliza go over to Fleur, Ivy and Iris who wouldn't be able to go on the ride before he turned to see Brad standing next to him. He saw his friend was frowning and he was about to tell him that things would be alright when the chief spoke first.

"They still can't help feeling guilty that they're going," Brad told him.

"I know but we don't want Julia going on this," Castle said. "We did look at this one… well, to be fair they have the same track layout at a park in Holland, so we watched and we don't want Julia going on it." He glanced at the other parents and said, "They don't want their kids going on it too. I just hope Eve and Jacob don't mind it."

"They won't," Brad said. "Are we ready?" he asked when Beckett, his wife, David, Rebecca, Skye, Brennan, Alexis and Louis walked over to them.

"Where's Clara?" Castle asked in surprise.

"She didn't want to ride," Brennan said. "Skye mentioned three inversions and she decided to pass."

"Okay, we have an even number," Brad commented. "So that worked out, we can go."

Waving to the kids and adults who weren't going on the ride, Beckett caught up to her husband and told him, "I promised to film the ride starting."

"How much do you know about this ride?" Castle asked Skye.

With a smile the investigator said, "I knew about the launch and we can film it after. I will, I'll ask."

"She can, she's more famous than the rest of us," David said.

As the others were laughing Skye said, "Who's going on the Tower?"

"Mari, will, since she went before," Rebecca said.

"I think our older twins," Skye said when the others looked to her then.

"Erin can go since Mari is," Brennan said slowly.

"You can see the ride at the top," Beckett quickly addressed her cousin. "And let her decide then."

"She'll likely want to," Brennan said in amusement. "Since your daughter's heading there. What about Eliza?"

"No way," Castle said. "She needs to be a little older before she goes on that one." They had been walking into the exit and once they were there he watched as Brad spoke to the cast member there before they were being seated in the first five rows.

"I'm really glad we didn't bring Julia," Beckett said as the over the shoulder restrains came down.

"Me too, if I scream like a girl will you find me unattractive?" Castle asked, peering over at her.

Laughing ahead of the two; sitting in the front with Brennan; Skye said, "Really? She's never heard you scream like that before?"

"She has," Castle said, smiling at his wife before they began to move.

Beckett looked up at the display that was above them and saw the digital display that flashed the sayings 'face forward' and 'keep your heads back.' She looked at her husband with a slight smile as they were there for a while but finally the voice of Steven Tyler called out, something about getting it started though she couldn't be sure. The light that was at the top of the tunnel they were stopped in front of turned green and they were taking off to her cry of surprise and her husband's yell that she could hear as it was fast. She saw flashes of light in the tunnel but that quickly turned to darkness before they were suddenly going up into a loop.

Castle had to laugh at the way Skye called out, "All right!" as they were turning to what he thought was the right though wasn't sure as it was so dark. They were inverted again, and he was glad he wasn't actually screaming like a girl as he almost became dizzy before they were righted and were banking hard. He had a hard time remembering what the track looked like in the light from what he'd seen but finally they were inverting for the third and final time. He was relieved his wife was crying out in joy but knew she would enjoy it anyway.

When they were finally slowing down after a slight hill, Beckett turned to her husband and said, "I hope you had fun?"

"Definitely," Castle said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "We're not going on this again though."

"Guys, you were the only kids that could go on this," Brad was saying as his and Lily's kids were groaning in protest. "You have Space Mountain."

"We can let you guys take them," David said.

"He's right," Beckett said once they were stepping out of the car. She watched with them as Skye went over to film the launch of a train that was waiting at the tunnel. "Before we head to the Magic Kingdom?"

"Good idea," Lily said, glancing at Eve and Jacob when they gasped in joy. "That way you won't get sick."

Beckett smiled when the two kids rolled their eyes and once Skye was back with them they headed outside to where their family and friends were waiting, Julia and Mary hurrying over to them once they spotted them.

"Was it fun?" Julia asked her mother.

"It was but basically in the dark," Castle answered before his wife could.

"It was," Beckett said when Julia turned to her. "And we'd rather go with you guys now."

"You're not gonna go again?" Eliza asked since she'd joined them.

"Brad and Lily might take Eve and Jake again before we leave," Castle explained. "Now let's head over to the tower before it disappears." He went over to his father in law who was holding Josie's stroller saying, "I'll take her."

"Are you going on the next ride Dad?" Beckett asked her father.

"I'd like to," Jim said honestly.

"Really?" Beckett said, surprised.

"Julia was telling us all about it with Mari's help," Jim said. "And apparently Mary doesn't go on it?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "She has a thing about heights so I'm guessing she'll be taking the three youngest." He then turned his attention to Beckett and said, "And I'll take Eliza and Josie."

With a smile Beckett said simply, "I had a feeling but while they're going on the rollercoaster we'll take Julia… and whoever else wants to go here," saying the last as they stepped up to the tower.

"You'll make Skye choose between the two," Martha said.

"Will you go on the ride with them Mother?" Castle asked her.

"Oh no," Martha replied firmly. "I'll go over to the shop that's here."

"We'll be back Rick," Beckett told her husband as the others were gathering so they could head into the exit of the ride.

"Have fun," Castle told them.

"Have fun at the hotel!" Eliza said, waving.

"Hey, we'll be back," Mary said to Castle once they were alone.

"You're taking Dani and Sophie?" Castle asked.

"We're going to the gift shop with your mom," Mary explained quickly. "We'll be back."

"I heard you the first time," Castle said in mock annoyance before he heard Josie beginning to fuss and he hurried to the stroller with Eliza following.

"Daddy, Mommy's not here," the little girl said, watching him seriously.

"No but I do have a bottle for your sister," Castle replied as he reached for Josie's bag under the stroller. "Get one for me?"

"Yeah," Eliza said quickly, eager to get to help before she went into the bag. She found a bottle and was going to take the cap off the nipple at the top when her father stopped her.

"Sorry sweetheart," Castle said, removing it swiftly. "I need to be a little fast." He was relieved when she nodded, and he hurriedly took the baby from her carrier, cradling her in his arms and then set the bottle to her mouth before she took it. "Eliza," he said, looking at her once he was sure Josie was set. "Get a towel for me for after." He watched her with a smile as she was rushing to grab that for him and once it was on his shoulder he said, "You knew where it needed to go."

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head. "I know Daddy, I saw you do this before."

Castle laughed and then said, "Give me a kiss Eliza." After they'd shared one he said, "I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too Daddy," the little girl replied, smiling widely at him. Since she was standing on the bench next to him she looked down at her little sister and said, "She's hungry."

"It's almost time for lunch," Castle said, not surprised hearing that. "I think we'll go after this." He laughed when she pretended she was dancing next to him before she stopped and looked at him, biting her lower lip before she blurted out the question he'd been expecting.

"Where are we gonna eat?" Eliza said.

"I don't know," Castle replied. When her eyes nearly bugged out in surprise he couldn't help laughing; though he tried to keep Josie's bottle steady; and said, "Your mom insisted that she take care of lunch today, when I told her about the dinner tonight."

"I can't wait to go," Eliza said, somehow forgetting lunch in that instant. "I wanna see everyone."

"I'm not surprised," Castle said. He smiled when she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "But for now your sister is done with her lunch."

Eliza watched him as he gave her the bottle and she said, "Is Josa happy?"

"I think so, she's had her meal and that's what she wanted," Castle said slightly absently as he was finishing setting the baby to his shoulder.

"Was it the fake milk?" Eliza asked, looking at the empty bag in the bottle.

"No, no, it's from your mom," Castle said, looking at her. "But sweetheart that's not a good thing to talk about with so many people around."

"It's pivot?" Eliza asked with a smile.

"Private," Castle said.

"Piv," Eliza pronounced.

"Private," Castle said slightly louder.

"Pr!" Eliza cried softly before she began to giggle a little wildly.

"Take it easy sweetie," a voice said suddenly as the little girl was laughing into her father's shoulder.

"Mommy!" Eliza squealed, looking up and seeing everyone was with them. "Did you have fun?"

"A lot," Julia said. "Mom said we can go to lunch now."

"Daddy said it's a surprise," Eliza told her big sister.

"Is she set?" Beckett asked her husband.

"She is," Castle replied, handing her to his wife. He stood while Beckett was getting Josie into her carrier and said, "We're following you love?"

"We are," Beckett replied before she let Jim take the stroller and holding her husband's hand they walked together down the Sunset Boulevard section to the restaurant she'd found for her husband for lunch.

Castle was a little startled when they walked all the way to the other side of the park, but they soon reached where they were going, and he read, " _Sci-fi Dine-In Theater_?"

"Yep, let's go," Beckett replied before they went inside. When they made it to the main room of the restaurant she smiled at her husband and said, "Surprised?"

"Incredibly," Castle said as the interior of the restaurant had a ceiling that looked like the night sky. But what took his attention a little more was the large movie screen showing a film and in front of it tables that had frames of 50's style cars around them. "This is awesome," he said to his wife.

"It is," Beckett said. "We're sharing a car with Skye, Mary and my cousins."

"I don't mind," Castle said firmly, meaning that.

Beckett laughed softly before they were led to their tables. Since there were so many of them they were spread out at multiple ones, their daughters near them with their grandparents at a car with three rows of tables behind.

"Hey, RiffTrax," Castle said, looking up at the screen and seeing a movie he knew well. " _Cat Women of the Moon_ ," he said as there was a scene of a man being stabbed in the back.

"They show clips of bad movies," their waiter said. "So hopefully you'll enjoy."

"I think we will," Castle said with a smile, thanking him as he took the menu. "Well… wow it's like we're in the 50's."

Laughing softly Beckett said, "It's themed. What're you going to get?"

"A burger, milkshake too," Castle said before he realized something. "What about the girls?"

"They're fine, your mom and my dad know what to get them," Beckett replied gently. "And they won't be getting milkshakes, since I said if they didn't they could get a _churro_ after."

"And Eliza immediately agreed," Castle stated.

"She did," Beckett said with a smile. She looked at her menu and wasn't surprised when her husband did in fact order a chocolate milkshake while she got the same. "Don't give me that look, I want the experience too," she said with a smile.

"Hey, hey, easy on the snogging," Skye said from behind them. When they looked at her she said, "We're trying to watch the movie."

Castle made a face at her before he faced forward, and they waited for the waiter to bring back their drinks. Once they had them he sipped at his though he had to hurry to order his food. Listening to Beckett he smiled when she got the classic burger on the menu, realizing she'd been serious. When the waiter had left he was about to ask his wife if she liked her milkshake when he felt something hit the back of his head lightly. He jumped and was about to turn around when he felt a poke to his shoulder before the investigator was speaking at the same time.

"Hey, share your rickey, we ran out," Skye was saying rapidly, repeating that for a second time before he was smacking her hand away.

"Cut it out," Castle said laughingly though his voice was slightly tinged with annoyance. "Man, you used to do that when we were kids, so annoying."

Beckett laughed at the way her husband was speaking and at the look that Skye gave him before she said, "You guys never did share."

"We were almost finished with our drink by then," Castle said in protest before he smiled. "Maybe you should switch with Brennan and Clara."

"No way, we have a great view of the screen," Mary said before her wife could speak.

"What are they talking about?" Eliza asked her grandparents as they were looking over at the four laughing.

"Maybe a joke, or the movie," Julia said, smiling as there was a clip then of a road being driven on and giant fake eyes over it. She giggled as she heard her parents laughing, guessing they knew the movie it came from, before the screen changed and at the same time their lunch was served to them.

"They should riff this movie," Castle commented after he and his wife had eaten a bit.

Glancing up as the title of the movie appeared, Beckett said, "Interesting title."

Nodding as it was called _Devil Girl from Mars_ Castle was about to tell her they should try to see the movie themselves when the screen changed to another movie's preview and he started to laugh heavily.

Relived her husband hadn't been eating at that point Beckett watched the scenes from the movie _It Conquered the World_ before she couldn't help saying, "He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature-" She stopped herself abruptly when she realized she wasn't the only one saying it and she, Castle, Skye and Mary started to laugh together at that heavily as they'd all spoken together.

"That was the weirdest speech," Castle said when they'd calmed down. "Oh… I hope this doesn't scare them," he said as there was the image of a man on fire.

"No, they're focusing on their food," Mary said quickly as she looked around at all their kids. "Julia's laughing."

"Have you shown her that episode?" Skye asked.

Shaking his head, as he'd taken another bite of his cheeseburger, Castle was watching the screen which was an old commercial for new kitchen technology. He went back to the meal, smiling as he recognized a lot of the movies from MST3K and RiffTrax. When he glanced at his wife he couldn't help himself, reaching over and gently squeezing her hand before they turned their focus back on their meal, so they could finish and get back to going on the rides before they would switch parks.

* * *

"I won."

"Barely."

Julia giggled at how forceful Mari was next to her and said, "I know it was really close. What're you gonna go on next?"

"Could we go on the Tower with you?" Mari asked as they were going around to the exit of the Toy Story ride. They'd gone on a number of times after lunch, so they could digest their meal, and she said, "That was really nice huh? Our lunch."

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod. "And you can come with us if that's where you want to go. I want to go with my dad too since he didn't go earlier." When Mari nodded she smiled and reached out to her, taking her hand once they were off the car that they'd ridden. She looked at Erin and Marie who'd been behind them and said, "Are you going on the Tower too?"

"Yep, Mum said she'll go on that," Marie answered. "What about you?"

"Louis will go with Alexis on the roller coaster," Erin said. "But me, Mum and Da are going on Star Tours again."

"Even though it's the same way we went before?" Julia asked in surprise as they'd gone on that ride just before what was going to be their last ride on Toy Story.

"Yeah, Da loves it," Erin said. "Me too." She laughed with the others before their parents were starting to join them and they went together outside the building where Jim was sitting with Josie and Sophie, Dani going with her parents on the ride.

After discussing the different rides they would go on last the group began splitting up and Castle and Beckett took their middle child with the Davises over to the Tower of Terror ride.

As they were walking through the ride Julia said to her parents, "I'm glad we get to go through the hotel."

"Me too," Castle replied. "They did an amazing job with the décor." They were reaching the end of their line before they waited for the cast member there to send them to the elevator.

"Hey Mom, Dad?" Julia asked the two. She smiled when they looked at her with slight concern at the same time and she quickly said, "Can I watch _The Twilight Zone_ now? I'm not a baby you know."

"I think she might be right," Castle said to his wife.

Glancing at him, Beckett told him, "I know sweetie… and yes you can start watching this show, but I should tell you there are some things that might scare you."

"Mom, I see spirits, what's scarier than that?" Julia asked.

"Have you talked to your grandpapa?" Castle said.

Giggling softly Julia didn't have a chance to answer as they were allowed to walk over to the elevators themselves and were quickly put in the second row of one of them. "I did ask him about it and he said I should watch it because it was a really good show," she was finally able to tell them before they were stepping inside the car.

"Alright, but not now," Castle said. "We're about to enter the Twilight Zone."

Beckett couldn't help rolling her eyes with Rebecca before they were seated, and she was sitting next to Julia as the girl was in the middle. Once they were seated she watched the cast member; dressed as a bell woman; say goodbye to them before the theme music started and they ascended to Rod Serling's voice narrating until they stopped at a floor and the doors in front of them opened.

Julia shivered at the sound of the voice; as it had affected her since she'd first heard it; but turned her attention to the corridor where there were guest rooms. She watched in awe as the spirits of the five people who had 'disappeared' in the story for the ride in the year 1939 appeared. After they started to beckon to them bolts of electricity appeared and began to flicker through the hall before there was the sound of thunder. She looked at Mari; next to her; and they smiled together as they loved the darkening of the hall, the field of stars and soon the breaking glass window at the end before the elevator doors were closing again.

Feeling the elevator car rising again, Castle wanted to lean over to check on Julia's reaction since he hadn't ridden the first time. But since the car was dark he had to wait until the doors were opening again on what looked like a maintenance room. He had enough time to check on Julia, seeing she was beaming, and he smiled himself as he sat back to find they were starting to move forward and there were things like a clock and an eye on either side of them while the theme music for the show played. He recalled those items had been in the opening of the show, as well as the stars they were moving towards and he knew they were getting close to the drop.

When the stars sucked into the middle of the wall ahead of them, Beckett wasn't surprised feeling Julia's hand squeeze hers tightly. She smiled at her oldest; though she wouldn't see it; and was turning back to elevator doors opening again. They were in the dark again as Serling's voice narrated once more and on the last word of his sentence there was a false drop that made them all yell or cry out. A second later they were falling rapidly but were soon shooting up before stopping. Another drop and another ascension and they were at the doors that looked out onto the park. She laughed when Julia did before they were dropping for a short period of time and then falling. Rising again and pausing she knew it would be the last drop as the spirits of the guests appeared and they then fell thirteen stories, all of them screaming or yelling until they had stopped fully. It was then she touched Julia's arm, wanting to see if she was alright though she knew her daughter had loved the drops.

When the doors opened to a swirling disc, Julia looked at her mother and murmured, "The show?"

Beckett could only nod as her oldest was going back to watching the vortex of one of the openings of the show with a door, the window that had broken earlier and other items they'd seen moving to the drop all falling into it before they started to go backwards when the five guests and Rod Serling himself fell. She laughed when her husband started to applaud next to her and they were all doing so.

"See Dad?" Julia said eagerly as the lights came on and they were moving back from the doors to find objects on either side of them before they were turning.

"I know, I think that doll is supposed to be from an episode," Castle said before the car was stopping and they were soon getting up and leaving.

"Mom, could I get a shirt?" Julia said when she was walking hand in hand with her while they walked down the exit.

"Of course, we were going to let you and your sister get one thing like at the other parks," Beckett said, squeezing her hand firmly.

"What will Lizzy want?" Julia asked.

"A churro," Castle said, walking next to them.

Laughing Julia said, "That doesn't count."

"No but since we're here go pick out your shirt and we'll let your sister decide on hers," Beckett said, smiling as the girl rushed over to the available t-shirts, grabbing one as she and Castle approached her.

"This one?" Julia asked.

"That's a nice one," Castle said, taking the dark blue shirt that had Mickey, Goofy and Donald Duck in the elevator car with their reflections normal behind the title of the ride. The three in the car though he was amused to see were falling as Mickey's ears were going up, Goofy's hat had come off, his ears were up, Donald Duck's hat was flying off and all their clothes were moving. "I like it," he said, holding onto it to pay for it.

"Let's go," Beckett said with a smile at him before she let him go to the registers. "Stay with me sweetie," she then told Julia. "I need to text everyone to see where we're going now."

"Aren't we going to the other park?" the girl asked in confusion.

"Yes, but for now we need to have the chance to go to the other gift shops and then get those churros," Beckett said.

Julia smiled before her father was coming back and she took the bag, letting him take her hand as they were walking back to the entrance. She wasn't surprised when they went past it and headed to where the Toy Story ride was. "Hey Lizzy!" she said, seeing her little sisters with their grandparents there. "You're gonna get something here?"

"What did you get?" Eliza asked interestedly, seeing the shopping bag her sister was holding.

Taking her shirt out of the bag Julia held it up and said, "Do you like it?"

"Yeah!" Eliza said. "I know what I want Daddy," she then said, taking his hand and pulling him into the store further.

"Just these?" Castle asked, surprised that she had chosen very simple toys. They were figurines of Woody and Buzz Lightyear with parachutes on them and he then told her, "You can get something else small." He saw the way her face fell and then asked, "It's not something small."

"I have money for these," Eliza said slowly.

Castle gestured to Julia before he said, "Ask her if she minds you getting something big."

"I don't," the girl said. Julia smiled at the two when they looked at her in surprise and said, "Go ahead, I know you like the movies."

Eliza nodded and then hurried to what she'd found, taking a box down from a shelf before she said, "This one?"

"Yeah, that's cool," Julia said quickly when her father looked at her.

"Come on sweetheart, let's go pay," Castle said, taking the box with the Woody doll in it and grabbing her hand with his free one.

After they were back together again the family headed to a snack cart that was by the entrance, buying all the kids a churro before they took a few pictures in front of the statue with Mickey at the top. They left and headed to the monorail station outside just managing to catch a train before they were on their way, the youngest of the group talking excitedly together about the Magic Kingdom and what they wanted to do before they were making a list at Julia's direction as she quieted them down.

"We should put down what we want to go on," the girl said.

"The order?" Jacob asked.

Shaking her head Julia said, "No, just the ones we want to go on the most. That way we make sure we go this last time. I have an app that lets you make a list and when you want to cross it off you just say the name."

"Cool," Jacob said. "But aren't there a lot of rides we'll want to go on?"

"We don't have that much time," Alexis said as she and her boyfriend were sitting with them. "You need to make sure that list isn't too long."

"You're aware we all will go around Fantasyland," Louis stated.

"Y- wait, why?" Erin asked her brother.

"Because you lot ate those churros," Louis replied. "We'll have to digest those, so you won't be sick."

"And you," Erin said.

Julia smiled when Louis shrugged before she said, "Okay, let's hurry. We're almost there." She then began to take the names of rides, adding her own though it went quickly since a lot of them wanted to go on the same ones. By the time they had reached the park she checked with the adults if they wanted to add anything. But the list was ready, and she said to her parents, "I hope we can do everything."

"Sweetie you don't need to worry," Beckett said firmly. "We have our bands and we can go quickly." They were leaving the monorail station and once they had she said, "And we should give Dani a chance to have some rides."

Julia nodded and said, "Yeah, she didn't have a lot of rides over at the other park." She took her mother's hand and smiled saying, "We want to go on the Haunted Mansion first, will you go with me?" When her mother nodded she was smiling again and they went through the gates to head to Fantasyland first.

Once they had reached the ride Martha stayed with the babies while the others went into the mansion and she waited for them to return which happened quickly since they'd gone through the exit. "How was it?" she asked.

"Fun, we're not bored Gram," Eliza said, smiling at her. "We haven't been here for a long time."

"That's very true," Martha said, smiling herself at how serious her granddaughter had become. "What will you do next?"

"The other rides here," Castle said. "But we're going to stay because Eliza wants to go on the roller coaster here."

"Alright," Martha replied, letting him take the stroller. "I'm guessing they want me to go on a ride next?"

"The two of us," Jim said. "And basically, all the rides here in this park."

"That wasn't our suggestion Martha," Beckett said. "They suggested we spend time with Josie again."

"And Sophie?" Martha asked while they were walking further into Fantasyland.

"Brad and Lily are letting Eve and Jake go on their own," Castle said when they stopped at the entrance to the Peter Pan ride. "Have fun, we'll be waiting in the shade," he said before everyone else was going into the ride except for the six of them. He was about to ask his friend what they would be doing when Lily leaned over to Beckett and murmured into her ear.

"We'll stay with Josie," she said with a smile. "But nice of you to offer," Beckett said before she looked questioningly at her friend.

"Oh no, we're going to get something to drink," Lily said.

"So," Castle said, turning to his wife when they were on their own.

"We should find the shade," Beckett said before they walked to a bench where they could see there was some shade. She took Josie from the carrier; since the baby was awake from her nap; and sat with Castle, not surprised when he immediately turned to her and brushed his lips against hers. " _Éasca_ ," she told him gently when she saw he was about to move towards her again.

" _Ró-chrua_ ," Castle said, saying it was too hard in response to her simple word of easy. He then smiled and said, still in Irish, " _I haven't had the chance before this_."

Beckett leaned over and gently brushed her lips against his before she sat back and said, " _Neither have I_." She wasn't surprised when her husband kissed her again, a little harder but still brief as people were walking around them. She was relieved when Josie reached up and seemed to slap her hand against his chin and she laughed with her husband before he took the baby's tiny hand to kiss it gently.

"Sorry if I was squishing you between us _ceann beag_ ," Castle told her, nuzzling his nose against the baby's. "But I was a little impatient." When he sat back he smiled seeing Josie was and he let her grab onto his index finger before she let go a bit after.

Watching her with Castle, Beckett said, "Tomorrow we need to do this with her again." When her husband made a slight noise she smiled and said, "What're you thinking?"

"Do you think the kids would mind if we watched a show tonight?" Castle said.

"Are you thinking about yesterday's?" Beckett asked. When he nodded she smiled and said, "I don't think they'd want to, not with all these rides here to go on. And they knew it's our last time coming to the park."

Castle nodded slowly before he said, "I guess it's better if we take the chance to go on the rides." He scratched at his cheek for a moment before he said, "Do you mind going on these again?"

Shaking her head Beckett said, "We've had a couple days off and we're not here for too long. I'm looking forward to them actually, we're going together on Splash Mountain."

Nodding rapidly Castle said, "I'll ask the girls if we can go on everything together." He smiled at the way his wife was looking at him and took Josie from her before he then said, "The bigger rides."

Beckett had to smile and said, "Alright but they need to agree with it."

"I wouldn't have thought of insisting," Castle said. He paused as he was rubbing Josie's back and said, "Did that make sense?"

"It makes enough," Beckett told him, leaning against him and kissing his cheek. She wasn't surprised when he turned his head so they were pressing together before they heard the girls calling to them as they approached.

"Can we go on faster rides now?" Eliza asked, reaching the three first.

"We still have a little bit to go," Beckett said with a smile. "Go on two more rides okay?"

"Yeah," Eliza replied before she peered at Josie as Castle held her on her back in his hands so she and Julia could look at her. "We're having fun Josa," she told the baby. "But you get to stay with Mommy and Daddy."

Watching as Josie made a cooing noise and slightly kicked her legs Beckett said, "That might mean yes."

"It does," Julia said firmly.

"Are we going to go? You're losing time," Jim said.

"Unless that's your plan," Martha added in amusement.

"No, we want to go on rides," Eliza said, taking her sister's hand.

"We'll be back," Jim said with a smile.

"We're gonna go on the carousel," Eliza told her parents.

"Do you want to go?" Julia asked them.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Maybe after dinner. For now, go." She watched them leave before she said, "We need to go with them on the roller coasters here."

"Definitely," Castle said, raising Josie above him a little before holding her against his shoulder. He kissed the side of her head and murmured to the baby that he loved her before he sat back against the bench, watching the people passing them by as they waited for their daughters to finish their two rides.


	12. Legend Of The Silver Screen (Part 2)

"Thanks for asking for the front Mommy," Eliza said.

"You're welcome," Beckett said with a smile before they started down the beginning of the track of the Barnstormer ride. She smiled when Eliza squealed as they were going up the incline and she watched her put her arms up.

"I think she likes this ride too," Castle said when his wife glanced back at him.

"I think so," Beckett replied before she turned around as they were reaching the top. Since it was a lower thrill ride she could watch her daughter as they banked to the left while they went down. The ride turned them back and forth as they made their way down before they reached the loading station shortly after.

"Can we go on it again?" Eliza asked, frustrated for a second time that it was so short.

"You don't want to go on other rides better?" Julia asked her sister from behind.

Since they were getting out of the train Eliza couldn't speak until she was standing on the platform next to the track. "I do… what are we gonna go on next?" she said.

"We need to meet up with everyone else," Castle said. "And then we'll go to wherever that list says."

Julia smiled, as he'd been looking at her as he'd spoken, and she said, "I guess we could go in order. Splash Mountain is first and then Thunder Mountain."

"Let's talk with everyone first," Beckett replied before they were outside the ride. She took Julia's hand and they walked together to where Jim and Martha were with Josie telling the two, "We're meeting them at the Haunted Mansion."

"Who wanted to go on that?" Jim asked.

"Skye and Mary took their daughters," Castle said as his wife had gotten the text from the investigator. "We're probably going on Splash Mountain," he stated, not saying anything else to see how the two would reply.

"I didn't really want to get wet," Jim said first.

"And I didn't of course," Martha added. "We'll stay with the youngest."

As they had reached the ride by then the family met up with their family and friends before they made their way to Frontierland. At the first ride there they split up, leaving the three youngest kids with Jim and Martha before they were going to the exit.

"What are they going to do now?" Mari asked as the two adults hadn't sat on a bench.

"I think they'll go to the path by the part where we come down from the drop," Julia said as they were walking together. She then smiled and said, "I'm glad that we got to come back."

"Me too," Mari said. "I wonder why that park doesn't have that many rides."

Julia shrugged before she was looking ahead of them as they had reached the boats and she and Mari sat in front of her parents. She smiled back at them and said, "You don't want this row?"

"That's alright, we got that last time we were here," Castle reminded her as they were starting down the water.

Looking down at her little sister Alexis asked, "Are you okay here?"

"Yeah," Eliza said eagerly. She smiled and said, "I like this ride."

"It is a lot of fun," Alexis said.

"Very nice in the summer," Louis said, sitting with his sister in the last row.

"Mom," Julia said, looking back at her. "You're going to ride with dad on Thunder Mountain, right?"

"I didn't tell her," Castle said when his wife gave him a look.

"Tell me what?" Julia asked, having to face forward since they were going up the first incline.

"That I wanted to go on the bigger rides with your mom," Castle replied before they were coming off the chain into the water. "But you know you guys can sit with her too."

"After dinner," Julia and Eliza said at the same time.

Laughing along with the girls Castle squeezed his wife's hand before they went up the second incline. As they were going through the ride they spoke together, having to stop for the drops there were but he soon realized something as they were nearing the end of the ride. "Is anyone paying attention to the animatronics?" he asked everyone on the boat.

"I am," Eliza said, raising her hand.

"Good thing you are sweetie," Beckett said, glancing back at her. They reached the loading platform and she climbed out, going to her and picking Eliza up before she said, "Who're you going to ride with now?"

"Can I go with Jules?" the little girl asked.

"Why don't you go with Alexis?" Castle suggested.

"Kay," Eliza said eagerly, looking hopefully at her big sister.

"Of course," Alexis replied, reaching out and taking her. "Look, there's Gram and your grandpapa."

"Say Grandpapa 'lexis," Eliza told her firmly.

"What row are you going to sit in?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter rapidly to change the subject.

"You and Daddy go all the way to the back," Eliza said after thinking for a moment, forgetting what she'd told her big sister.

"Okay," Castle said, trying not to laugh as the little girl was so serious. "Let your sister and Mari go ahead of us okay?"

"How do you know we're going to sit together?" Julia asked as they were reaching the rest of their party that had rejoined Jim and Martha. When her father just raised his eyebrow, she laughed and then said, "Thanks."

"Okay," Brad said. "Eve and Jake just said they want to go on Thunder Mountain and the other kids here said they want to too."

"They said that as we were walking over here," David said. "Did you doubt them."

"Just seeing if everyone changed their minds," the chief said with a shrug.

"Do you not want to go?" Lily asked her husband.

"I'm fine, but what about the dinner?" Brad said.

"Why didn't you ask before this?" Castle asked, trying not to laugh when his friend was looking at him.

"Didn't have a chance," Brad said.

"We can use the dining plan," Beckett said then as she knew what he was talking about. "Any other question? He told you what time we're going."

"That was it, you looked into this place Rick," Brad told his friend.

"Are we going to go on the ride now?" Jacob then asked, unable to keep his impatience out of his voice.

"Just checking final details," Brad said, trying to resist the urge to ruffle his son's hair as they were leaving the babies again.

"And he's hungry," Castle commented when they were walking through the exit of that ride.

"Am not," Brad protested.

"Are too," Castle said simply.

"Am-" the chief started to protest.

"Brad!" Lily said.

"Sorry," he said with a laugh. "I mentioned we did that as kids."

"He never told me," Beckett said.

"I… didn't want to sound like I was any more immature than I already am," Castle said.

"That's very mature of you," Rebecca said when no one responded to what he'd said.

The adults all looked at each other before they started to laugh though Jim was listening to the kids.

"Grownups are weird," Eve commented.

"I know… well, they are our parents," Kathleen said.

"Yeah… at least we get to go on this ride now," Marie then said as they were reaching the station and the cast member standing by the exit.

Julia and Mari joined Castle and Beckett, holding hands while they waited to get on the next train. They stayed close together as they hurried to the second to last row and got in, smiling at each other as they started down the track. Hearing coughing behind them when they were in the dark, they both looked back at Castle and Beckett though they couldn't see them for a moment. Once they could they were nearly asking what was wrong at the same time before Beckett laughingly spoke, talking loudly over the sound of the incline chain as they were going up to the top.

"He was going to scream like a girl," she explained.

"Did you choke?" Alexis called back to her father.

"A little," Castle said with a slight laugh. "But we'll enjoy this," he called to them before they were going over the top of the incline. He tried to grab his wife's right arm and hold it up, but she was shortly after playfully slapping his hand away. He had to be impressed by that as she could do that while they were being pushed around going over the track. When they had reached the station at the end he said to his wife, "Sorry."

"Twelve-year-old?" Beckett asked him.

"Sure," Castle said as he was standing in front of her once she'd stepped out of the train.

"Castle," Beckett said simply though not angrily. When he took her hand instead of kissing her; as she knew he wanted to do; she smiled at him and squeezed his hand before they walked after their daughters and friends through the exit.

"Next we want to go on Pirates," Julia told her mother when they'd stepped outside.

"Alright, go with your grandparents," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband looked at her immediately in reaction. She squeezed his hand, to let him know she would explain once they were with their parents, and then continued to where Jim and Martha were with the three youngest kids.

"Oh wonderful," Castle's mother said. "We can go ahead and try to go where Jim wants to."

"We don't need to," Beckett's father said firmly.

"What is it Dad?" Beckett asked him.

"I wanted to try… what I think is the one thing we haven't been on yet," Jim replied. Before he pointed to the riverboat that was docked in the water of the Rivers of America. "But we could do that after dinner."

"And then we would be seasick," Clara said with a smile. "I think it's better to go now."

"Will we have to go straight to dinner?" Erin asked.

"We will," Castle said. "The boat ride is long, but it would be something different."

"I'd like to go," Julia said quickly. She smiled when the others agreed, and they walked together down the path around the water until they had reached the dock. She was surprised when a cast member was telling them as they boarded the white paddleboat that they were lucky to make it to the last trip of the day. "Good thing we came," she said to her grandfather.

"I know," Jim replied. He put his hand on her back and said, "Go ahead and run around."

"Thanks!" Julia said as she wanted to explore the boat. She went to Mari and said, "Want to walk around?" She wasn't surprised when her friend nodded, and they began to go through the lowest deck of the ship, not realizing their parents were watching them.

"I guess your father's permission was enough," David said in amusement to Beckett.

"I think so," Beckett said with a smile. "But I think Julia's fine, your daughter has a lot of experience on boats."

"Which is why we let her go," Rebecca added. She looked down at Josie and Sophie; as the Fosters were with them too; and she said to Lily, "Where'd that happen?"

"Oh… mind your own business," the woman said though she was speaking jokingly as she knew Rebecca was talking about the mark that was on her neck. Lily smiled and then said, "That was in Fantasyland and that's all you need to know."

"Where though? There were a lot of people there," David said. When his wife looked at him with slightly widened eyes he said, "What? I thought you wanted to know?"

"Not much more than that," Rebecca said.

"Oh… sorry I asked for her," David said.

"Yeah, good to know," Brad said in obvious embarrassment. He then saw his son and Erin were going upstairs with Eve following and he called, "Don't run up those."

"Hey," Julia said, turning with Mari where they were on the second level of the boat as they'd heard Brad.

"Hey, you're not going up to the top?" Eve asked them.

"We will," Mari said before she looked at her friend with a smile. "Now?"

"Yep," Julia said before they started to laugh and then headed up to the highest level with their other friends where they stood at the railing while they went past the dock for Tom Sawyer's island.

"This is how they went on the river in New Orleans," Jacob said.

"I think they still do," Julia commented. "I bet my dad will make sure we go on a paddle boat when we go."

"Are you really going to go?" Jacob asked.

Nodding Julia said, "I don't know when, just that we'll go. You guys probably will too."

"Us?" Erin said.

"Everyone," Julia told them with a smile. "That's going to be so cool. We can get top hats like Paul and Linda had and then umbrellas and dance around."

Eve looked at her brother when Julia started to dance a bit before Mari was going over to them and they started to laugh with Erin while the two were dancing together. When they stopped she asked, "Jive?"

"Jazz," Julia said, shaking her head before she made a couple more steps. "That's the Charleston."

"Man, how many dances do you know?" Jacob said though he was speaking in mock disbelief. He laughed with the others and then said, "Do you know them all?"

"I think all the ballroom dances," Mari said, looking at Julia.

"Probably," the girl said shortly as she was still dancing.

"Now what?" Erin said in mock annoyance.

Julia stopped as she was laughing and said, "That was still the Charleston. Sorry, I can't stop once I'm started. Look, there goes a train," pointing out Thunder Mountain as one of the trains was going around over the water then.

"Guys don't fall over," a voice said from behind the five.

"Hi Dad, Mom," Julia said, smiling at them. She hurried over and then held Josie's hand saying, "Is she okay?"

"She's having a great time," Beckett said.

"She'll be a sailor," Castle commented. When his wife looked at him he said, "Just guessing."

"At Disney," Jacob commented.

Beckett laughed and said, "Great point. Your parents told us to tell you three to meet them on the second and lower levels."

"How's Sophie doing?" Julia asked when the three had left. "And where are Lizzy, 'lexis-"

"Eliza's running around on the lowest level with Dani and your grandparents," Castle said before the girl could continue to name everyone. "Mari your parents are together, so I'd let them spend some time alone."

Nodding her head, the girl said, "I will." She then said, "I'm not weird here?"

"No way," Julia said immediately, reaching for her friend and wrapping her arm around her. "We're all here together." She looked at Mari and then they suddenly sang at the same time, " _We all stand together_."

Startled at her daughter singing, Beckett looked behind her and saw Skye was walking up to them with Marie and Fleur. "Going to sing?" she asked with a smile.

"No, doesn't quite make sense here," the investigator replied as the two girls at the railing were looking at her. Skye then smiled and sang, " _We all live in a yellow submarine_ …"

"There's a submarine?" Castle said, pretending to be eager as he peered over the railing.

"I highly doubt it," Beckett said in amusement as she watched him. She turned to the girls then looking together at the Native American village and said, "At least they're enjoying it."

"They are," Skye said with a smile. "Now," she added. "I'm going to find my wife if you don't mind them staying with you."

"Go," Beckett said with a smile, watching her leave. She went closer to the railing, watching the foliage pass them by before she felt her husband was next to her. Smiling at him they watched the passing banks of the water with the girls, seeing the trees and different objects while the boat circled its way back to Liberty Square.

* * *

"This is where you got us reservations," David stated.

"Yeah, too much? Too Disney?" Castle asked him as they were walking after everyone else to their tables.

"How can it be too Disney when we're at Disney World?" David asked.

Castle shrugged and then laughed with his friend before they split up to go to their families and sit at the tables with them. He was about to ask the girls how they liked the Crystal Palace when Eliza was wrapping her arms around him tightly and beginning to exclaim as he couldn't help laughing again, that time at how exuberant the little girl was being while she talked.

"It's so pretty here Daddy, I saw the food and it looks good and the desserts do too. Thank you!" Eliza said, hugging him as hard as she could.

"You're welcome, I'm glad I picked this place," Castle said, embracing the little girl back. He looked at his wife and asked, "What do you think?"

"Everything looks great," Beckett said before she was ordering her drink with the others. "We should get started," she said as the restaurant appeared to be full.

"Right, going with me?" Castle asked Eliza while they were all getting up.

"Kay," the little girl said happily, taking his hand. They walked together over to the food and Eliza said, "What do I get?"

"They have food just for kids," Castle said. "But shh we'll let you try our stuff."

Eliza giggled when her father put his finger to his lips and she nodded before she went with him over to a small section with a gold sign above it. "What does it say?" she asked him.

" _Pooh's Corner_ , just for kids," Castle told her. "They've got chicken nuggets-"

"Those Daddy," Eliza interrupted. "And the pasta too," she said eagerly as she could see macaroni and cheese.

"And some veggies," Castle said, spooning some peas and corn last. "Do you want the drumstick?" he asked as there were chicken drumsticks as well. When she shook her head he said, "Can you carry your plate while I get my stuff?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, taking it and holding it tightly with her hands and walking with him carefully to where her mother was with Julia at what she thought was more macaroni and cheese.

"I'll only give you a little bit; just in case you don't like it," Beckett was telling her oldest.

"Okay," Julia replied as her mother gave her some pasta with artichoke in it. "Hey, you got food already?" she asked her little sister with a smile when she saw her plate.

"She doesn't want anything else?" Beckett asked.

"I said we'd share," Castle replied.

Beckett nodded and then turned back to the food, taking some cheese perogies and getting them for both herself, Julia and Castle.

"Kate-" he said slightly uncomfortably when she put some jambalaya on their two plates.

"It's alright," Beckett replied as they moved to the next set of food. She gave the two of them some salmon telling Julia, "Have some of mine?"

Looking at the fish, the girl shook her head and said, "No thanks."

Smiling Beckett walked to the next entrees before she said, "Rick?"

"Move," Castle said in response though he was speaking playfully. He got the ham and pineapple for them and did the same with the honey glazed carrots, putting extra on his wife's plate.

Eliza giggled heavily at the exaggerated wink her father gave her and she smiled when hers and Julia's mother gently tweaked his ear. She watched him getting something green for the two of them and asked, "What's that?"

"Collard greens, they eat that here in the south," Beckett answered as they went to the next food items. "You can both try them." She got broccoli for Julia before her husband could grab the spoon and since their plates were largely filled she said, "Now we can get some turkey," leading the girls over to the carving station.

"I'm getting some of the steak love," Castle told her.

"Is that it?" Julia asked once her parents had their meats on their plates.

"Yes, are you okay carrying that still?" Beckett asked Eliza. When she nodded she led the way back to their table where some of the others were eating at their tables. "Here," she said once they were sitting, watching Castle cutting some of the turkey he'd put on Eliza's plate. "Please eat your vegetables."

Eliza nodded and then ate a piece of turkey, too hungry to hum at how good it tasted before she got some of the collard greens her father had given her. She ate them and as she chewed she soon began to frown before she made a face.

"Don't like it?" Castle asked as he'd been watching her. When she shook her head, he tried to find a paper napkin on the table for her to use but he couldn't find one. He looked back at her, seeing that she'd stopped chewing and was drinking her apple juice a little deeply.

"Easy Eliza," Beckett told her as she'd been watching too.

"I didn't like the taste Mommy," the little girl explained.

"I didn't either," Julia told her. "Eat your macaroni and cheese, that's a lot better."

"How do you like yours?" Beckett asked her oldest.

"It's good… but I thought it wasn't macaroni and cheese," Julia said.

"It's close enough," Beckett said. She then asked her dad and mother in law how they were enjoying the food before she could hear some kids in the restaurant exclaiming.

"What is it?" Julia asked her.

"I believe it's the characters," Martha said, looking past them. "Yes, I see a very bright shock of orange."

"It's not me," Alexis said jokingly as she was sitting next to her grandmother. "And we're taking a picture with each one, so you know."

"She asked me to take pictures of you guys," Beckett said.

"Josa?" Julia and Eliza asked at the same time.

"She'll be with you," Beckett replied with a smile. "But keep eating, they're over at the other end and with other kids." Once she was sure the two were eating she went back to her own food and they waited for the four characters to make their way over.

"Mom," Julia said when Eliza eventually squealed and jumped out of her chair as she saw that Piglet was coming over to them. "I don't want to take a picture."

Smiling at her gently Beckett said, "Look at Eve."

Julia was surprised but turned to do as her mother had suggested, seeing that the teen was hugging Eeyore before smiling for a picture that her father took with his phone. She smiled and then said, "I did."

"You're never too grown up for that sweetie," Beckett told her, unsure of how her daughter would respond to that as she was standing herself.

"Can we take a picture with Mickey later?" Julia asked her.

"Yes," Beckett said immediately. She smiled when her daughter looked at her with wide eyes and then ushered her over to the characters. Her husband had already asked if they could do that as a family, since he'd found out the character was at the Town Square Theater in Main Street. She had agreed, as she'd always regretted not doing that with their daughters in Disneyland. Shaking herself of her thoughts, she quickly started to take a few quick pictures of the girls with Piglet, surprised that Josie seemed to be alright.

Castle, standing with his wife, was watching their baby too, half expecting her to start crying as Piglet waved to her once the pictures were taken. When she merely stared at the character he shared a look with Beckett before he said as the girls came back. "Hopefully Eeyore won't make her cry."

Turning behind them, Julia saw the character was approaching them and she hurried with her sisters to him, saying hello before they stood together on either side of him for the pictures. They did that with Winnie the Pooh and last with Tigger, but with that character she soon noticed that Josie was smiling. "Look," she said, smiling herself as Tigger was waving at the baby.

Beckett was quickly taking some pictures of Josie with Tigger in front of her and once the character had left to the girls' thank yous she told her husband, "We need to get her some souvenirs," while they went back to the table.

"Are you going to get her everything Tigger now?" Alexis asked, setting her baby sister into her carrier before sitting down with everyone else.

"No, but we will get her a plush toy of Tigger," Castle commented. He saw Eliza was bouncing on her chair and he wanted to tell her to calm down to eat again when she spoke speedily and eagerly.

"Can she have another one? She doesn't have too many and her bed is really empty," the little girl said.

"We'll see," Beckett replied simply. She urged the girls to eat again, reminding them they had desserts to try. She smiled at her husband when he looked at her in surprise and went back to her food since both their daughters had seen the selection when they had gone to their tables. She began to eat again and going back to the food she smiled as she couldn't help admitting, to herself, that she was looking forward to the desserts as well.

After they had eaten second plates with items they'd missed the first time, like spoon bread and dinner rolls, the group had some fruit before they took turns to get the desserts.

"We can't try them all?" Julia asked as she and Eliza watched their parents getting the pastries.

"Yes, but not the cookies since you've had those before," Beckett said as she grabbed the dessert called a honey pot. "Okay, he's getting the desserts I'm not and we'll share."

"Good," Julia said before they went back as they had one of everything except for the cookies. When they were sitting at the table her parents divided the desserts for the six of them; Alexis going to share with Louis; and they tried them. She and her sister were trying not to eat too fast, but it was difficult as they were enjoying everything so much. She didn't know how it happened, but she recalled something and turned to her father before David was suddenly calling for their attention.

"Okay, good, there's something that I hesitate to bring up. The so-called elephant in the room-" the mayor started to say.

"Dave," Rebecca told him.

"Sorry," David said with a laugh. "Couldn't help it, but Rick you never talked about our plans for tomorrow."

"Right," Castle said, setting down his glass of water. "Tomorrow's park is going to be Blizzard Beach."

"The other water park?" Mari asked eagerly.

"It is, so make sure you've got bathing gear for tomorrow," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when the kids were talking eagerly together and he said to Julia, "What do you think?"

"It'll be fun," the girl said. "But… why Blizzard?"

"I think it's the novelty of snow down here," Jim said. "What's the plan now though?"

"One thing before we go back to Fantasyland," Beckett said, smiling at the girls. "First I'd like us to head towards the entrance and get a picture of us all with Mickey."

"Even us?" Martha asked with a smile.

"Yeah, Gram," Eliza said quickly. "It's the family."

"Alright," Martha replied, wanting to respond seriously but the way her second youngest granddaughter was looking at her made it hard. She took the stroller once they were finished and then walked with everyone outside the restaurant, wondering if the other families would follow their example.

"I think that's a great idea," Brad said, looking at his kids.

"Yeah, that's fine," Jacob said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Let's go, we're missing time for rides," Eve said.

Since the other families agreed to the plan they headed down Main Street where they walked into the theater. With it being dinner, the line wasn't too long and they were soon taking turns meeting Mickey.

"Can I talk to him?" Eliza asked her parents as they were last in their group, waiting for the Fosters to go ahead of them.

"Go ahead," Castle said before a cast member was allowing them to step up to Mickey.

With a laugh the character waved at the family and said, "I'm so glad to see you."

"Hi," Eliza said, her eyes wide at hearing him talk. She couldn't really say anything else though as they were getting ready for the picture and she stood next to Mickey.

"One, two, three, magic," the character was saying as the picture was taken.

Waving goodbye to the character the girls looked at each other while they were walking out of the theater before they nearly ran to where their friends were standing together.

Hearing them talking about Mickey talking, Beckett couldn't help smiling and said, "I guess it was a good idea."

"I try my best," Castle said. When his wife shook her head he said, "I guess next is…"

Beckett smiled at him and squeezed at his hand before she went with him to their friends, talking about what they would do next. She wasn't surprised when the others were going to meet other characters and then head to Fantasyland before they could go back to the more thrilling rides. When they were left alone there in front of the theater she turned to Julia, Eliza and Alexis saying, "Do you want to meet anyone else?"

Shaking her head Eliza said, "I want to go on rides."

"But we can't go on the big ones yet," Beckett told her. "We'd like to go to the gift shop. And yes, your sister can get another stuffed animal but nothing too big. I also don't know how you'll pick for her."

"I won't pick," Eliza protested.

"Yeah, we're going to hold up the characters to her and see when she smiles," Julia added. She was relieved when the adults didn't say anything in protest to that and she and her sister led the way to the gift shops though she had to lead her sister since she hadn't been there. She heard the gasp once they were inside from her and watched her looking around with wide eyes. "It's cool huh?" she asked.

"Yeah," Eliza breathed out. "Where do we get the toys for Josa?"

"This way," Julia said before they walked over to the stuffed characters. "Look at the Tigger they have," she said once they were close.

"Can she get this one?" Eliza asked hopefully as the rest of their family was behind them.

"Show it to her," Castle said.

Beckett watched the little girl gently shaking the toy before Josie smiled at her sister and she said, "Alright. Go ahead and pick her second one."

" _What are the odds she likes the tiger_?" Castle asked his wife in Irish. When she smiled at him he wrapped his arm around her waist, watching as Julia and Eliza were literally showing every stuffed animal to their little sister and waiting to see a reaction.

After a while Julia started to get a little annoyed, since Josie wasn't reacting to anything they held to her. She started to think the baby was going to fall asleep but finally she held something up and breathed out when a smile soon appeared on her face. "She likes this one," she told everyone else.

"Again, no surprise there," Castle said in amusement as it was a Hanoverian horse.

"No," Jim said, smiling when his daughter looked at him.

"Why don't you show her another?" Martha asked.

Eliza grabbed a plush of Goofy, showing it to the baby and seeing she wasn't reacting again. She showed her another, of a baby Minnie character, and seeing no reaction she told her family, "She likes that one."

"Of course she does," Alexis said.

"Is it kay that she has a horsie already?" Eliza asked though they were walking to pay she guessed.

"It is, it's what she wants after all," Jim said, taking her hand. "And we have time for one ride, a slow ride."

"Oh… the car!" Eliza said eagerly.

"She means the one where we can drive ourselves," Julia quickly translated for her sister.

"Yeah, will you go with me Grandpapa?" Eliza asked him hopefully.

"Of course," Jim replied.

Eliza nearly started to jump around with joy, but she stopped herself as they were leaving the store and she watched her parents give Tigger to Josie. She smiled when the baby immediately held onto it before they began to make their way to Tomorrowland, excited to see how the rest of her night in the Magic Kingdom would go.

* * *

"Is this okay?" Julia asked her mother.

"Why not? She always needs bibs," Beckett said. "Thank you," she told the cast member behind the register as he set aside her purchase and her daughter's to have them sent to their hotel and hers and Castle's room.

"I can't wait to see Josa wear that," Julia said eagerly.

"Me too," Beckett replied with a smile. It was later that night and she and Julia were in a store in Fantasyland, taking a brief break from the rides as the girl had begged her and Castle to let her buy something for her littlest sister. They were on their own as the other families had split up and Alexis was with Louis in the last hour and a half they had. Eliza, despite telling them she would stay awake, had fallen asleep just after nine, so Martha and her father had gone back to the hotel with Josie, Dani and Sophie as well. She squeezed her daughter's hand, enjoying the time just with her so far that night while they were leaving the store.

"Everything set?" Castle asked as the two were walking up to him.

"Yeah," Julia said with a smile. "I told Mom I can't wait for Josa to wear the hoodie," she told him as her mother had bought a Mickey hoodie that had ears on the hood and Mickey's face on it as well. She herself had bought Josie a bib that had Mickey's face on it and Walt Disney World underneath though she felt a little weird. She wanted to ask her parents about it, but her mother was talking to her.

"What are we going to go on now?" Beckett asked her oldest, wondering at the slight frown on her face.

"Oh… let's go on Pirates, we never did go on that one," Julia said. She took both their hands as they started to walk over to Adventureland and then said, "It's not weird, is it?"

"What?" Castle asked, looking down at her.

"The bib, Disneyland was the first park we went to," Julia said, feeling a little silly saying that.

"True but your sister's first Disney park was here," Castle said.

"Plus, we're on the east coast and this is will be our park," Beckett said. She looked down at Julia when she giggled and started to speak when her daughter squeezed her hand a little which made her stop quickly.

"We're really going to come back?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Castle said before his wife could answer. "Your sisters need to be able to have the chance to go on the rides that just you did."

Julia laughed softly and nodded saying, "Good idea," before they made their way through Adventureland. When they were going through the exit of the ride she asked, "Can we go in the front?"

"Of course, how else are we going to go?" Beckett asked her daughter teasingly before they reached the loading platform. She let Castle ask for the front before they got into the boat, though Julia insisted on going first. She had a feeling their daughter was expecting them to kiss while they were on the slower part of the ride. But as they started into the water and her husband wrapped his arm around her waist she decided that at least wouldn't be too bad.

Glancing at her parents, Julia was glad they were at least holding onto each other until they had reached the drop. When they had gone down she leaned back and said, "Now the boring part."

"It's nice to relax," Castle commented, his arm around his wife again. "Because I get the feeling you're going to want to start running once we're finished."

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly at the smile on their oldest's face before she started to open her mouth then paused and she leaned over. Pressing her lips to her daughter's temple she murmured to her to let them know what was wrong before sitting back as she spoke.

"I'm kinda thirsty," Julia said softly.

"For what?" Beckett asked as she knew her daughter wanted something more than water.

"Could we get some pineapple juice?" Julia asked hopefully.

"I don't know," Castle commented. "It might make you sick."

"He's right," Beckett said when Julia started to open her mouth to protest. "We'll get something else, but we'll share it."

Julia was still going to protest before she nodded and then said, "No snack?"

"No, it's late enough for a drink," Castle said. When his wife looked at him he said, "I can be a parent too."

Giggling behind her hand Julia said, "You are Dad." She then looked behind them at the others on the boat and said quietly, " _Why don't you kiss_?" in French.

"Why do you know that?" Beckett asked.

"You taught us," Julia said, smilingly widely at her. She hugged her mother when she groaned slightly before she said, "Really Mom, you could."

" _With everyone behind us_?" Beckett said, speaking in French then but doing so very slowly so Julia would be able to translate that.

Glancing back again, the girl nodded before she straightened up and then watched as the scenes passed by them before they were going up the incline at the end of the ride. When they were off it, Julia didn't say anything, letting her mother hold her hand before they stopped outside the building. "We're not going to get a drink?" she asked as she knew they were going to ask her what ride she wanted to go on next.

"No, we need to know where you want to go next to see where we'll get the drink," Beckett explained.

"Oh… well we can go on Buzz Lightyear," Julia said. She smiled when her parents both nodded and she walked with them quickly while they made their way across to Tomorrowland.

Stopping at a place that was across from that ride Castle said, turning to his wife, "Kate-"

"Rick," Beckett said firmly.

"No, I did want to get a snack," Castle said.

"You're hungry?" Julia asked in surprise.

"I was running around after your sister," Castle reminded her, as he had playfully chased Eliza around Fantasyland before they'd returned to the more thrilling rides.

"What do you want?" Beckett asked him.

"A pretzel, but you guys will have some too right?" Castle asked them.

"Alright," Beckett said slowly.

"Okay," Julia said quickly when her parents were looking at her. She smiled at them and said, "Can I have my own drink, I'm hungry too."

"I think you said that out of order _ceann beag_ ," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her when she went over to him.

"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh. "But we're going to have to go on slow rides for a while."

"Okay," Julia said. "We already went on all the fast rides… could we go on the carpets?"

"What do you eventually want to go on?" Beckett asked her.

"Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain," Julia said.

"I think we can make it," Beckett replied.

"Can we walk over there while we eat?" Julia begged.

"We can," Beckett said, squeezing her against her. "Come on, we need to get our drinks," she then said as she'd seen Castle with three drinks at the counter.

"Love, I had no idea if you wanted this but there's no caffeine and it's fun," Castle told his wife once she and their oldest were with him, having gotten frozen blue raspberry drinks.

Beckett had been about to interrupt him but when he finished his statement she couldn't help laughing and she leaned over, brushing her lips to his before she said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Castle said, smiling at her as he'd enjoyed that kiss. He had to turn his attention to the cast member behind the counter as he had his Mickey pretzel warmed up and he thanked him before he said, "Where are we going to sit?"

"She wants to walk," Beckett told him.

"Oh, cool," Castle said, smiling at Julia when she did so at him. "Then let's get going," he told them before they started to walk in a line together. He held the pretzel out to the girl and was surprised when she shook her head before she explained her reaction.

"Let Mom take the first bite," Julia said.

"Thanks," Beckett said, knowing her daughter wasn't going to let her get out of that. She took a bite from the ear before she handed it to Julia and said, "Not too much."

Nodding, the girl bit into the other ear of the Mickey shaped pretzel and gave it back to her father. By then they were just entering Adventureland and she sipped at her drink before asking her parents, "Can we keep these?" referring to the different colored Mickey ears shaped straws they had for their drinks.

"Of course," Castle said. "Your sister will love the other blue one."

"Did you ask for them?" Julia asked as hers and her mothers were blue while his was green.

"Yep," Castle said before she smiled at him. "And of course you can have this one," he said, raising his cup a little bit in the air.

"Thanks," Julia said before they were passing the Swiss Family Treehouse. They reached the carpet ride and she looked up at the ride cars going around and up and down. She smiled when she saw some of them were empty and she said, "We can go in line right?"

"Yeah," Castle said. He then said, "Who do you want to ride with?"

"By myself," Julia said simply.

"Sweetie-" Beckett started to say.

"I'll be your chauffeur," Julia said with a beaming smile before she took another sip of her drink.

"It would be fun… unless she wants to be evil and not stop moving us," Castle commented.

Julia didn't reply, simply sipped at her drink before she said, "Can't I?"

"Yes, but not too fast," Beckett said. She then smiled and said, "The purpose is to digest our snack."

Nodding her head rapidly Julia said, "I'll be careful." Since they had small cups she was happy when they were finishing, and she and her mother handed their straws over to Castle who went to rinse them out. When he was back with them they hurried onto the ride and she was able to go in the front of the two-row car and as soon as they were starting she was bringing them up. With that set she turned around and smiled at her mother saying, "The lever got stuck."

"Or she could just leave us in one place," Castle said to his wife.

Smiling Beckett said, "We can go up and down."

Shaking her head Julia said, "I like the view."

Beckett was about to tell her she didn't have to worry about them getting sick when the girl turned back and raised her arms. She knew already she was closing her eyes and she leaned against her husband, watching the view as they went around until their carpet was descending. "You're not sick?" she asked Julia once they were walking off the ride.

"Nope, can we go now?" Julia asked.

"A little more time," Castle said. When Julia looked at him questioningly he said, "The treehouse."

"Okay," Julia said with a slight laugh before they were going over to it. She didn't mind going through it again; though it wasn't a ride; as she knew it would help them get ready for the last of their rides that night. She didn't say a word about them going slowly through the house, paying close attention to the different items there and the interactive elements in it until they were walking down away from it.

"Now we can go," Beckett said in amusement as the girl turned to them. "But we're walking over there, not running."

"I was going to run," Castle said.

"Me too," Julia said with a giggle as her father had been looking at her. She took his hand while they walked to Frontierland and said, "Will you ride with me?"

"In the front?" Castle asked her. When she nodded he wrapped his arm around her and said to Beckett who was walking next to them, "On your own."

"I don't mind," she replied. Beckett smiled when he reached out, and she took his hand, holding it tightly before they went into the exit of the ride.

Once they were on their boat Julia looked back at her mother and smiled saying, "I want to come back."

"We can," Beckett told her.

"Thanks!" Julia said eagerly, suddenly even more excited at the reminder that she had even more time to go with them on rides. She squeezed her father's arm tightly before they reached the top, giggling when he pretended to raise his arms and her mother laughed behind them. Once they were going through the water around the drop she turned her attention to the ride, listening to her parents talking as they were making their way to the drop. She smiled as they were discussing Blizzard Beach, suddenly feeling excited again at finally getting to see what the blizzard would be. And she was smiling wider as she thought of spending time with her family and all her friends once more the very next day.


	13. Never Such A Blizzard Before

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Great to get the feedback for the last chapter that I did so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I was happy to read you like how everyone becomes kids at the parks there; that's the Disney magic, lol, you can't resist it. And nice to read you thought what I had in the chapter were great places!) and

Mb (Great that you thought it was a sweet update and great you love how much fun everyone's having still. I'm glad you could connect with the Star Wars part of it, lol, if you're all sci-fi geeks then I hope that you'll get a chance to see Galaxy's Edge once that opens. And yeah, there are videos on YouTube of the restaurant they go to and it's really cool, I'd eat there if I ever go since it looks like it'd be fun, lol. And I'm not surprised you only stayed at the park for half a day, there's not much to do there'll be more now with Toy Story Land and the Star Wars one. I had to laugh when you said that station your husband found made you think of me and Julia, though I'm not surprised since I do mention The Beatles a bit, lol. Happy to see you thought it was a sweet update. And you're welcome for the first half! I'm glad that you think I managed to capture the excitement and fun of being at Disney and being there with people you love to enjoy it. That is likely because I've been to Disneyland with family and friends so many times that I know it myself; and it's a lot of fun, lol. Great you liked that Eliza noticed the desserts too, lol, it would be hard not to. I'm really pleased you thought Josie with Tigger was cute and yeah, she would smile at the stuffed horse. I'm glad you're looking forward to reading about them at the other water park and having fun there too. You're welcome for the second half too!).

Thanks for the reviews, loved reading them and I am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Baby, It's Cold Outside_ by Frank Loesser.

Never Such A Blizzard Before

"Tomorrow we'll see a lot of animals," Beckett was murmuring to Josie, holding her against her chest so they could both look out at the animals. "I wish we could see them closer, but I think that's as far as they want to go," wishing the baby could see the giraffe in front of them.

"Wow, I wish she could see that," Castle said, stepping out on the balcony.

"I was thinking the same thing," Beckett said. She shook herself and then said, "We need to get ready."

"I was just going to let you know," Castle replied. "She's staying with us tonight again?" he asked as he allowed her to go back in first.

"We're keeping her with us the rest of our time here," Beckett said firmly. "Especially since it's not open too late tonight."

"Good idea," Castle said, closing the door behind him. He watched her lay Josie down in her crib before he was taking her hand.

Turning to her husband at his touch, Beckett was about to ask him if he wanted to get their baby ready when his lips were suddenly crushing against hers. She was taken aback for a moment but recovered quickly and kissed him back. She wasn't surprised when he was rough and passionate and she responded to him, relieved they were a couple steps away from the crib though Josie wouldn't have really paid attention to them. After their third kiss she bit at her swollen lower lip when her husband moved down, kissing along her neck before she realized his hands were grasping. "You need to stop," she told him as she gently moved so she could place her hands on his chest and they could stay parted.

"I-" Castle began before his wife glanced down in between them. "You're right," he said quickly. "I'll get her ready," he said so they could turn their attention to their youngest. He reached into the crib and took her back out, kissing her cheek before she cooed and then moved to the bed where Beckett had set down Josie's bathing suit. He watched his wife go over to the bathroom, unable to help ogling her before he turned his attention to Josie. "Time to get you ready sweetheart," he said before he was smiling at the baby as she was doing so to him.

Since she hadn't closed the door all the way behind her, Beckett could hear her husband talking to Josie and she smiled to herself before she had her sundress on and she walked out to him. "You can get ready love," she told her husband as she saw he was on his side next to the baby who was in the middle of the bed.

Getting up hurriedly, once he was sure Josie was alright where she was, Castle grabbed his wife and pulled him against her saying, "I'm sorry if I sound possessive but I hate the way men look at you," his voice becoming a little husky.

Pressing her cheek to her husband's; as she was holding onto him; Beckett looked at Josie for a second before she pulled back enough and told him, "You don't think I hate how women look at you?" When he looked at her in slight surprise she said, "You may joke that you're older, but you're still a stunning man." Before he could reply to that she kissed him hungrily, partially to keep him from giving her a smart-ass comment to something she really did believe and because she wanted to kiss him. When they'd rubbed their tongues together for a bit she pulled away and said, "I'm serious."

"I know," Castle said seriously before he brushed his lips against hers. "And I'm relieved you feel that way."

Looking at their daughter with him, Beckett said once they were facing each other, "I'll show you after we go north."

"Me too," Castle said hurriedly as he knew he needed to let her go though he didn't want to. "You're breathtaking."

Beckett kissed him for that though she kept herself from lingering for too long, giving him a tight embrace before letting him go. "So are you, go Rick," she told him. She watched him walking over to the bathroom and smiled as he glanced back at her before disappearing and she turned to Josie quickly, picking her up and holding her against her shoulder to head out to the balcony again.

With less to put on than his wife, Castle raced through changing out of his pajamas and gave his mussed hair a quick comb before he was rushing out to Beckett. He paused in the doorway, watching her as she was walking back and forth though the space of the balcony was a little small. "Is she asleep?" Castle asked her.

Nodding, Beckett went inside before he followed and they went to the living room where the baby's carrier was on the table. As she let him set Josie in the seat she then heard a knock on the door and looking out saw that it was the girls. "Good morning," she told the two with a smile.

"Hi," Eliza said first, keeping that quiet as her mother put her fingers to her lips. "Is Josa sleeping?" she asked in surprise.

"She is, we'll let her sleep for a long time now," Castle told her as he walked over with the stroller. "But now we're going outside you can talk at a normal volume."

"Are you ready to go?" Julia asked her mother.

"We are," Beckett said, making sure she had the room key in Josie's bag as they were walking out of the room together. She took Julia's hand before they headed over to the elevators, meeting their friends and family there before they went up to the monorail station.

Since the park was one of the closer ones to their hotel the group were soon disembarking at Blizzard Beach and they went in since it opened just as they were getting to the entrance. Castle led them to the cabana he'd reserved for the day and they started getting everything ready for their visit through the park.

"You're set Martha?" Beckett asked her mother in law with a smile as she was checking on both babies.

"Yes, they're asleep, I have a delicious drink, a good book and you are all ready with your sunscreen," Martha told her, sitting on the chaise lounge.

"Have fun," Beckett said with a slight laugh before she stepped outside where everyone else was standing together in groups, looking at maps. "What're we going on first? Also, is that chair lift necessary or like the PeopleMover?" she asked her husband once she'd reached where he was standing with Alexis and Jim.

"It's necessary but not the only way to get up to some slides," Alexis replied with a smile.

"Let me guess, one of those slides is the one we'll go on now?" Beckett asked her husband.

"It's a family slide, Teamboat Springs," Castle said quickly. "And looking at it on my phone it says that six can fit on the rafts."

"So all of us," Beckett said, smiling over at the girls. "Alright." She wasn't surprised when her husband looked eager and she called to Julia and Eliza. Since they were obviously ready she said to them, "We're going on the chair lift, so you need to go with an adult."

"Sure," Julia said, going straight to her mother while Eliza went to Jim. "Good?"

Castle laughed with them and they went over to where the line for the chairlift was since it was relatively short. He realized he didn't have anyone to go with as Alexis was going with Louis and he glanced around before he saw Brad had walked up to him, making him frown slightly before his friend was quickly explaining why he was there.

"Eve wants to go with Erin and Jake's heading up with Lils," the chief said.

"Hey, if you two are going up no shoving each other over the sides," Beckett said.

"Exactly," Lily added since they were standing together. "Maybe I should go with my husband."

"And me with mine," Beckett said.

"Well, it makes them happy," Brad said.

"It does," Castle said, nodding his head.

Beckett laughed at her husband before she went with Julia to get ready to go on one of the chairs before it came up behind them and they sat down. "This might take a while," she said.

"Yeah… what about David and Rebecca?" Julia asked.

"They're coming," Beckett said in surprise.

"No, I mean after this slide," she said as they were going to be going on it with Mari.

"Well, they want to spend time with Dani first and then let her play in the bay with your gram watching," Beckett explained before she saw Julia gasping, looking over at her in surprise.

"Look at the slide!" the girl said in amazement.

Though it was covered, Beckett smiled at the steep slide that someone was going down and she said, "I don't think you'll be going down that one."

"Nope," Julia said before she looked at her mother and they laughed together. When they stopped she then said with a wide smile at her mother, "I bet you will."  
"I want to," Beckett replied, squeezing her shoulder. They were quiet the rest of the trip up as they were looking around the park that they could see. Once they were at the top she said to Julia as soon as they were standing, "Now you see why it's a blizzard."

"Yeah," the girl said with a nod, looking at the fake snow that was all around them. When Castle was the last to join their family she said, "I can't wait to go."

"We are right now," he told her with a smile before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they all started to walk through.

"Could I make a suggestion?" Brennan asked the others as they were all together.

"We should split up after this?" Beckett asked him.

"We have different aged children," Brennan replied.

"We'll stick together tomorrow," Skye said.

"She's right," Brad said. "I agree, let's split up and just meet for lunch.

"Where?" Jacob asked.

"Don't tell me you're hungry already," Lily said to her son jokingly.

Shaking his head Jacob said, "No, just wondering."

"You'll see when we go," Brad told them.

"We'll see you guys later," Castle said as they were starting to go on the rafts. The Fosters were first, then the Davises and the McDouglases were ahead before the six of them were allowed to get on the next one and he was last after checking to make sure the three girls were alright getting on themselves.

"Are you excited Grandpapa?" Eliza asked Jim as she was sitting in between him and Beckett.

"I am," Jim said, looking at the raft in front of them before the McDouglases disappeared down the slide. "Where's Fleur?" he murmured to his daughter.

"She decided to go with Erin," Beckett said, smiling at him as the girls were watching their raft slowly going off the conveyor belt they'd been on.

Crying out when they went down some rollers Julia smiled at her sister as Eliza was squealing once they were in the water and were soon going down a short drop before they were turning to the right. After turning quickly to the left they were going to the right and she said, "I'm gonna get dizzy!"

Laughing, since she knew her daughter was kidding, Beckett said, "Then you have to stay at the cabana." When Julia made a face at her she squeezed her hand, since they were close to one another, and looked down at the slide again while they were going right and seemed to be going on that for a while. She smiled at her husband; almost across from her; before she looked at her stepdaughter who was crying out as she was being splashed while they were spinning around. They continued to go left and right, underneath flags, before she realized something and glanced at Eliza next to her to see if she was okay.

Eliza cried out in joy at the two small drops they went on and she was gasping when she was splashed but only for a second as they were turning to the right and then going off the slide. She cheered with her sister and applauded before she said, "Again!"

"Maybe later," Castle said, reaching over to her and squeezing her ankle. "But that was fun."

"It was, I'm glad we could all go together," Jim said, smiling at his granddaughters.

"Can we go with Gram?" Julia asked. "Later though."

"You can, we'll stay with Josie for a little bit," Beckett said as they were just floating to where they would need to get off the raft.

"What are we gonna go to now?" Eliza asked.

"We're going to go on some slides you can go on," Castle said. "But there aren't that many for you, so you should go to the little kid's part," he told her.

"I'll take you," Jim said with a smile as the little girl looked at him.

"Thank you, Grandpapa," Eliza said. She let him help her off the raft before she hugged him tightly and said, "Will you have fun there?"

"Of course," Jim replied firmly, squeezing her hand a little harder. Once they were all together he said, "Now where?"

"Are we going on the Chairlift again?" Julia asked once they were away from the pool of water.

"No, we need to walk around," Beckett said, taking her hand. "This way." She started to walk down the path they were already on before she stopped abruptly and then said to Alexis, "Did you want to go with Louis?"

Shaking her head, the young woman told her, "We're going with our families until after lunch."

"Can us kids go around alone?" Julia asked with a gasp as they were walking again.

"We'll let you, we want to spend time with Eliza," Beckett replied. "But you do want to go with your grandparents."

"Yeah!" Eliza cried from behind them.

Beckett smiled back at her before turning forward again until they were reaching another path on the other side of the park that went up. When they were at the bottom of the slide Snow Stormers she said to Eliza and her father, "We go down the slide on our stomachs and you can see how it goes a little bit."

The little girl nodded rapidly as she could see the flags on the slide and said, "Are we gonna ski?"

"No but it's supposed to be like that," Castle said first.

"If it's too much for you then you just go up on your knees," Alexis said. When her entire family looked at her she wasn't surprised and said, "Padma told me to do that. She's been here before and she did that."

"I think it's better if you just go on the slide or not," Beckett said as she wondered how that would really work.

"I'll go, I'm a big girl," Eliza said though she couldn't help feeling a little unsure. "I'm brave."

"You are," Julia said, taking her sister's hand and squeezing it tightly. "Want to race?"

"Kay," Eliza said with a smile before they were walking up to the top of the slide. Once they were there she took what her father said was a toboggan and wasn't really surprised that she was soon after given a life vest to wear on the way down. "I _am_ a big girl," she told her mother and big sister in wonder.

"You are, I'm going to race you two," Alexis said, playfully pinching her cheek. "Ready?"

"I am!" Julia said eagerly. She got ready to go down with her sisters and once the light down the slide a bit from her turned green she pushed herself down, not realizing their parents and grandfather were watching them from behind.

"They will be alright," Jim said to his daughter.

Listening to the cries of all three of their girls, Beckett eventually nodded and smiled saying, "She was afraid at first but she's alright now."

"Then we should go," Castle said as the cast member there was waving them over. "See you at the bottom love."

"No racing," Beckett said with a smile at him before she got onto her toboggan on her knees. Seeing the light turning from red the green she pushed herself down and began to go straight a bit before she went to the left. She held tightly to the folded over top of the toboggan as she immediately went to the right and she could see why Eliza had been a little scared at first. The slide was tall on either side of her so she could see nothing but it, and she was also going fast. But she was enjoying it while she went back to the left and then again to the right. She laughed suddenly when she could hear her husband yelling distantly next to her. Going left and then right, and then doing so again for a second time she thought she would be going through it for a third time before she turned left and found herself going into the pool at the bottom. She stood up quickly, seeing Eliza was waving to her from the bottom of the steps going out.

"That was fun," Castle said when his wife looked at him.

"No mention of winning?" Beckett asked since she'd been able to tell he had been there before her.

"It wasn't a race," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her tightly as he'd been walking over to her.

Beckett's reaction was to quickly kiss his cheek as they were reaching their daughters but before she said anything to them she asked her father, "Are you alright?"

"That was fun," Jim said, smiling at Eliza who was hugging her mother tightly. "Like skiing down a slope."

"Yeah, I liked it Mommy, Daddy," the little girl said firmly. "But I don't like the vest."

"That's for safety's sake," Castle said. "So, love…"

"Not that one," Beckett said as she knew he meant the slides directly next to the ones they'd just been on. "The other one that she can go on with us."

"I can't go on those?" Eliza asked as she knew the slides that her father had meant when he glanced towards them.

Shaking his head as they left Castle picked her up and placed her on his shoulders telling her, "Those are for kids who need to be a little taller."

"Oh…" Eliza said in disappointment. "Can Jules go?"

"Yes, but she is taller," Beckett said, hoping Eliza wouldn't protest. When the little girl didn't say a word, she turned her attention to her father and Alexis and said, "We can go in groups of two on the first of the slides there are here but-"

"What's it called?" Julia asked.

"Runoff Rapids," Castle answered before his wife could. "And it's plural so we'll go on two of them."

"There's more?" Julia asked.

"Three but one has a tunnel, so we'll skip that for right now," Castle said.

"Right now you should pick who you want to go with," Beckett said. "Though sweetie, come with me?"

"Kay," Eliza said, smiling at her and waving from her father's shoulders.

"I'll go with you Dad," Julia said.

"Do you mind-" Jim began to say to his step-granddaughter.

"Not at all," Alexis interrupted him immediately. "It should be fun."

"Daddy?" Eliza asked when they passed another slide. "Can I go on that one? And what's the name?"

Castle laughed briefly at her second question and told her, "They're the Downhill Double Dipper. But you need to be taller to go on those."

Watching Eliza breathe out a little hard Beckett said, "You might not like this park as much as the other sweetie, most of the rides are for taller people."

The little girl frowned before something came to mind and she asked eagerly, "Do they have a river like the other one?"

"They do, but that's more a ride for a little bit after we eat lunch," Castle said as he was setting her down on the ground. "After we're finished with this you can go with your grandfather."

"Kay," Eliza said excitedly as she thought of how fun that would be. She went to her mother and took her hand before she saw they were coming up to a lot of inner tubes. "Is it this?" she asked eagerly.

"It is, let me carry ours," Beckett said as the little girl was about to run off she could tell.

"Sorry," Eliza said sheepishly though she was soon smiling. She watched her mother take the inner tube before they started up their line, soon getting to the top where they had to wait for others with bands like them to get to go. She jumped up and down in her excitement before she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder and she smiled up at her before Beckett was asking her a question, very seriously to her surprise.

"Sweetie you need to go in the front, are you sure you still want to go on this one?" she said.

"Yeah, I'll be kay Mommy," Eliza said, smiling widely at her mother. "I wanna go."

"Alright," Beckett said before she watched Castle and Julia going ahead of them. When they were waved over by the cast member, she set down the inner tube before she made sure Eliza was alright in the front. She was wearing a vest again and she couldn't help running her hand over her head quickly as she knew her daughter wasn't enjoying that part of the slide. She sat behind her and as soon as the light in front of them turned to green she pushed them. "Hold on tight," she called to Eliza.

Crying out happily as they were going down a small drop and then turning to the right, the little girl closed her eyes when water splashed onto her face. Eliza quickly opened them as they went down two drops and then squealed as they immediately turned to the left before she heard her mother calling to her.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked as they were going high up on the side while they turned. She heard her daughter squealing and she laughed as she knew that was her answer while they were going to the right again. Going fast and sometimes high on the turns she made sure her daughter was holding on tightly to the handles before they were going down a drop. When Eliza's hand came off the side she wasn't sure why she moved as if she were going to grab her but when she saw the little girl was grabbing onto the handle again she quickly relaxed. They turned to the right soon after that and then came into the pool at the bottom where she got off the tube to push it to the steps at the other end where Castle and Julia were waiting for them.

"Daddy! I liked the slide and I wasn't scared!" Eliza said as soon as her father had lifted her off the inner tube.

"Great to hear since there's another one," Castle replied. "Go with me?" He was surprised when the little girl looked hesitant and he said, "You want to go with your mom?"

Shaking her head Eliza said, "With Jules."

"Could we?" Julia asked, looking at her mother.

"We'll see if they say anything at the top," Beckett said before they looked at Jim and Alexis who were going through the pool over to them. She took Julia's hand and they made their way back to the top of the slides so they could go on the last one before traveling through more of the park.

* * *

"You're not jealous, are you honey?" Jim asked his granddaughter.

"No, that's a fast slide," Eliza said as they were watching some people going down the ones they were standing at the bottom of. "Will Jules get scared?" she asked him.

"No," Jim said with a slight smile.

"What are they called?" Eliza asked.

"Toboggan Racers," Jim replied. "Remember your dad told us to see who makes it down first."

"Daddy will," Eliza said with a giggle. "He's bigger."

"Maybe," Jim said, not surprised when his granddaughter giggled again and he brought her onto his lap since he was sitting, watching with her as more people went down the eight-lane slide.

"Love, this is a race," Castle told his wife.

"Yes, but don't make that big of a deal out of it," Beckett told him firmly. She smiled when he raised his hand up in the air and then said, "But this should be fun."

Castle nodded rapidly before they were being waved up to the lanes of slides and he got down on his stomach as the cast member was instructing them to. He held onto his notches on either side of his lane, waiting until they were told to go before he was pushing himself as hard as he could forward. He let out a slight yell as he was going fast and then nearly flying over the first incline. But when he landed his breath came out in a grunt and he was left trying to keep breathing before he was coming to a stop at the end. He stood up, his hand at his chest before he realized his wife had come over to him.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked him in concern as she could tell something was wrong as they'd gone down from the way he'd jumped on the first dip.

"Got the wind knocked out of me," Castle said roughly.

"Dad-" Julia asked to say as she paused in getting off the slide before the next people started down.

"Go, he's alright," Beckett told her daughter.

"Daddy," Eliza said fearfully when he sat down next to Jim and she stood to wrap her arms around his neck.

"It's okay," Castle said, feeling better. "I pushed myself too hard, so I paid for that."

"You won Daddy," Eliza told him.

Laughing briefly, Castle shook his head and said, "It wasn't really worth it. But it was okay."

Alexis was about to speak when her father shook his head again, nodding to Eliza who was holding onto him tightly still. "Are we going to rest?" she asked.

Since everyone was looking at him Castle smiled at said, "No need to, but we've gone on everything that she can… at least the bigger slides."

"Look," Julia said, pointing to the slide as she could see Skye, Marie and Kathleen were among the eight people going down.

Beckett smiled as she heard her friend crying out before she saw the investigator's wife walking over with their three youngest, waving as the twins and Fleur hurried over to them. She went over to meet Skye, waiting for her friend to get away from the slides before the investigator called out to her.

"Fancy meeting you here," Skye said.

"It's not that big of a park," Beckett said in mock irritation.

Skye laughed and said, "Speaking of that we're almost finished."

"We are too, we're leaving early," Beckett commented as she glanced at her family.

" _Where are you going_?" Skye said in Irish.

Looking back at her Beckett smiled and said, " _'Ohana_ ,"

"Nice," Skye said in English. When she saw her friend was looking at her questioningly she said, " _Cape May Café_."

"Nice as well," Beckett said. "I guess everyone except for Lily and Brad are going to the other resorts."

"I believe they are," Skye said as they were starting to walk back to their families. "Wait," she said, touching Beckett's arm to stop her. " _Are you going on the tallest one_?" she asked in Irish.

" _I thought you would, we'll go together_?" Beckett asked.

"I'm not going on that one," Castle said as he'd walked over in time to hear that and see Skye's surprised expression. "So yeah, go together."

"Later," Beckett said. "We've got two more slides."

"What's Eliza going to do?" Julia asked, coming over to them.

"I'm taking her to the little kids' section," Jim said as he walked to them with the little girl.

"Have fun," Julia said, hugging her sister tightly.

"Yeah, you too," Eliza said. "On the scary rides."

Laughing with the others, Beckett hugged the little girl with her husband and once they'd left she looked at the McDouglases questioningly before Mary answered her swiftly.

"We have some more slides," the woman said. "We'll have to try and find you somehow for you two to go on that slide."

"How'd you know _grá_?" Skye asked her.

"Because I know my wife well," Mary said simply.

"We'll see you later," Skye said with a laugh.

"What is left?" Julia asked.

"Two slides, they're a little intense," Castle told her. "Slush Gusher and Downhill Double Dipper."

Julia couldn't help laughing at the names before she said, "I'll go on them… they're not as bad as the really tall one, are they?"

"We wouldn't let you go on them if they were," Beckett said. "Are you ready?" she asked Alexis.

"Yeah," the young woman said with a nod. She followed her family down the path to the main one in front of the slide, walking back the way they'd gone to Runoff Rapids. After they had gotten to the top her father took them over to the Slush Gusher slide and she realized she'd seen it when they were at the end of it.

"Now that you can see it," Beckett was saying to Julia while they were looking at the slide. "You can decide."

"I'll try it," the girl said though she was a little amazed at how far the slide seemed to go down. Julia felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to her mother, smiling at her as they walked over to the line before they waited.

"I'll go first," Castle said. "Do you want to go after?"

"Sure," Julia said, feeling a shiver of uncertainty go up her spine.

"Julia-" Beckett started to say before she spoke.

"No, it's alright," the girl told her. "I'm not afraid." She then watched as her father was stepping up to the slide, talking with the cast member there who told him to cross his arms over his chest. When the bar that was in front of him was raised she watched him move his body, his arms over himself, before he was over enough to lay back and then disappeared down the slide. Julia braced herself as the cast member nodded to her, stepping over the slide to stand in the water as she listened to the woman telling her about her arms before she sat down as her father had and she waited in nervous excitement for her turn.

"Have fun," Alexis said quickly.

Smiling back at her, Julia had to hurriedly turn back when the cast member said she could go and she did her best to move without using her hands though she felt foolish doing that. But finally, she could feel she was going and she cried out as she went down immediately before going fast into another dip and then a second before a third before she was splashing into the end. She sat up immediately and dried her eyes the best she could before she felt her father taking her hand.

"Careful," Castle told her, helping her step over the side. "What did you think?" he asked when Julia could look at him.

"It was fun," the girl said before they turned to find that Alexis was coming down the slide.

"Hey," the young woman said to them as she was sitting up. She got off the slide quickly and then said, "What'd you think?"

Laughing Julia said, "Is that all you thought about on the way down to here?"

"No," Alexis said with a smile. She wrapped her arm around her sister and said, "Well?"

"I liked it, it was fast," Julia replied as she watched her mother coming down to them. When Beckett had stood up and walked to them she said quickly, "I liked it, I want to go on it again."

"Is that what you said to everyone?" she asked her daughter as they walked away from the slide.

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding her head. "The other slide now?"

"It's a tunnel slide," Castle warned her as they went down the path again.

"I don't care," Julia replied quickly, holding both her parents' hands as they made their way back up the incline they'd used before. She'd seen their next slide before but hadn't been able to get a good look at it. She peered down the hill they were on at it and said, "Looks cool," smiling at her mother since she was watching her closely she could tell.

"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said. "You're alright carrying that?" she asked as they were all carrying inner tubes.

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod. She watched two people going on the side by side slides and she asked, "Can we race?"

"We can, who do you want to go with?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when the girl nodded to her mother and said, "Great, we haven't raced yet Alexis."

Shaking her head, though she was smiling, the young woman said, "We haven't but don't be competitive."

"I'll try," Castle said sincerely before he smiled at them. "Who's first?"

"We'll go," Beckett said before she went with Julia up to the slides. "See you at the end."

"Yep," Julia said.

Stepping up to the start of the slide as the person in front of her was waiting to go, Beckett smiled as the young man yelled as he went down. She was startled when the retractable gate suddenly popped back up with a rush of water towards her and she smiled at Julia before she shared a wave with her oldest. She set her raft down and then got on it, holding onto the handles while she waited. Finally the gate went down, and she was going down a drop before her inner tube straightened out and she was going down another drop before coming out into the sunlight. She splashed down into the pool at the end shortly after and she looked quickly for her daughter, spotting Julia a little bit behind her.

"You won Mom," the girl said, smiling widely at her as she got off her inner tube.

"You were close," Beckett said before they got into the water. She walked around to her daughter and took her hand before they went to the stairs, turning and waiting for her husband and stepdaughter.

When he splashed down into the pool at the end a minute later, Castle was a little disappointed it was so fast but he waved at Beckett and Julia who were on his side. "Close race," he said to his daughter.

"Dad," Alexis said, rolling her eyes before she smiled as he'd been far ahead of her. She reached for him and hugged him with one arm saying, "Time for that tall slide?"

"It's time for lunch," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Okay," Beckett said. "I hope Dad is paying attention to the time," she commented once they were outside of the pool and they'd dropped off the inner tubes.

"He will, Lizzy will be hungry," Julia said, and she smiled when her family started to laugh before they walked together over to wherever it was they were getting lunch. She held her mother's hand tightly, wondering what that would be exactly as she had to admit that she was hungry herself.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Mari said.

"It was loud," Eliza said.

"Of course we did," Julia said before she and her sister laughed with her best friend. "But they should be coming over with the food soon."

"I hope so," Mari said, rubbing her stomach which had grumbled loudly.

"Lunch is here," David said, approaching first with his wife out of all the parents. "Come on Mari let's go eat."

Seeing their parents were behind the Fosters, Julia said, "Now we can eat."

Eliza clapped her hands together rapidly before she said to Josie who was on their big sister's lap with them, "You had your lunch and now it's our turn."

Leaning over, Alexis smiled as the baby was smiling at their sisters before she made an ah sound. "Close Josa, you need to say E."

"Ooo-ah," Josie said before she gurgled a little.

"Hand her to me Alexis," Beckett told her stepdaughter as they'd reached their family. Once she had the baby she kissed her on the cheek tenderly before setting her down in her carrier. When Josie fussed slightly she said soothingly, "Just while we eat sweetie, we'll take you out when we're finished."

"Are you staying after?" Martha asked as they gathered around the table in front of the cabana.

"We are, you can go ahead with the girls," Castle said.

"What about the creek?" Eliza asked.

"After," Beckett said.

"So… how long are we going to stay?" Alexis asked.

"You could hear us?" Beckett asked. When her stepdaughter nodded she shared a look with her husband and said, "We should tell them." At his nod she smiled and then said, "We're leaving early and heading to the Polynesian Resort hotel for dinner. But we wanted this restaurant to be a surprise."

"Okay," Julia said, smiling when Eliza pouted. "But we can go on everything right?"

"Yes," Beckett said. She turned her attention to her sandwich when she heard Eliza gasping and she looked at her with concern before the little girl was asking her a question so rapidly she almost couldn't understand her.

"Youhavetogoonthe slide," Eliza told her mother.

"Which slide?" Castle asked, fighting his laughter.

"The big one," Eliza said, gesturing so widely with her arms that she nearly dropped her chicken nugget.

"Careful," Beckett told her. "And Skye and I can do that after," she said. "She got that from you," she said teasingly to her husband.

"I guess so," Castle said laughingly. They continued to eat before he said, "How will we do that though?"

"Yeah 'cause we gotta get dessert," Julia said.

"We're-" Beckett started to say with a frown.

"We know we don't get them all the time," Eliza told her. "But this is special." She pursed her lips for a moment and said, "Very special."

Beckett couldn't help laughing with her husband at how serious their daughter was before she said, "Alright, but we're not going to have sweets for a while once we go home."

"Are fruits sweets?" Julia asked.

"You're eating fruits," Castle said. He smiled when the girls nodded, and he turned his attention to the rest of his food until they were finishing and he said to the other parents, "Are they still hungry?"

"We figured about an hour before dessert," Brad said first.

"Are we all going to the same place?" David asked them.

"I think so, especially since it's close by where we got lunch," Clara said. "But for now?"

"The water here," Beckett said, pointing to the bay ahead of them. She smiled when the kids; who'd been listening; walked quickly to the water before they were starting to play tag together. She went with her husband to grab Josie and they followed their family and friends into the gently lapping waves.

* * *

"Are you nervous?" Skye asked her friend.

Glancing over at her Beckett said, "Having second thoughts?"

"Oh no, I'm more than ready for this," Skye replied. She smiled at Beckett and then were soon after beginning to laugh together. They were going up on the chairlift to go on the last slide they hadn't been on, Summit Plummet. And since no one else wanted to really go on the tallest, steepest slide in the park they were going alone together. "I'm surprised you're alright with it."

"I don't mind the thrill," Beckett replied with a smile. She looked around and said, "But why didn't any of the men want to go?"

"Oh… they're just big babies," Skye said before they were laughing again. Finally she shook her head and said, "It's a natural reaction though you are right; I figured Brad would want to take a chance."

"Lily doesn't want him to," Beckett reminded her.

"True," Skye said with a nod. She then smiled and said, "I suppose they might wait for us to try it; Brennan at least."

Beckett nodded herself and then smiled before she said, "Who'll go first."

"You," Skye said at the same time as her friend. She shook her head and said, "Rock, paper, scissors?"

Doing that quickly as they were nearly at the top, Beckett smiled at her paper covering Skye's rock and said, "You picked the thing least likely to fly."

"Yes I did, and now I'll pay for it," the investigator replied.

Beckett laughed softly before she said, "I thought you were eager for it."

"Oh, I may be but I'm nervous as well, never been on one this tall," Skye said before they were stepping off the chair they'd been riding on. "So there's that."

"Neither have I," Beckett said before they made their way up the stairs to reach the top of the slide. Once they were there she admitted to her friend that she was nervous as well, squeezing her hand a little harder than she normally would before the investigator turned to her with a smile.

"You haven't done that in… ages," Skye said in surprise. "You were the first born."

"Yes," Beckett said slowly. "You better go."

Squeezing her friend's shoulder, not surprised she was avoiding that, Skye went over to the slide when it was her turn and listened to the cast member telling her what to do.

Watching Skye going over, Beckett smiled as she heard her cry of joy while she was doing that before it was her turn. She sat down and when the cast member told her to start she pushed herself over the edge, letting the water help her before she went down. Her stomach felt like it was going into her throat with how fast and steep she was falling before the water splashing into her face made her close her eyes and mouth. When she was going through the water at the bottom she was shocked by the speed and she sat up slowly, opening her eyes.

"Okay?" Castle asked, going over to her rapidly.

"Yeah," Beckett said, letting him help her stand up. Once she'd stepped out of the slide she smiled at him and told him, "That was intense. Want to go?"

"And scream like a little girl?" Castle asked her, smiling back at her before their daughters were rushing over to them.

"I'm so glad I didn't go on that slide," Julia eventually said before she and her sister let go of their mother. "You're going with Josa now?"

"Yep, don't worry about us," Castle said as the girls had thought it unfair they were staying with the baby and not going on slides. "We'll still have fun." He was about to take his wife's hand before Skye was walking over to them and calling to them both to get their attention.

"We forgot about dessert," the investigator told them. "Our girls reminded us."

"Which ones?" Castle asked, looking at the five who were talking to Julia, Eliza and Alexis.

"All of them," Skye said wryly.

Laughing with her Castle and Beckett followed the investigator over to their kids and they left with everyone else to head back to the cabana. Once they were there one of the pairs of parents left them, the kids not noticing as they were together in the water in front of them.

"Mommy!" Eliza said happily when she walked over to where she was with Julia. "You're gonna take Josa in?" as her mother was holding her baby sister.

"No, we told you to stay only as deep as your ankles," Beckett told them. She felt Josie moving slightly in front of her and smiled down at her before she said, "What are you two going on first with your grandparents when you can go on the slides again?"

"'lexis and Louis are going to come with us," Eliza said, jumping up and down in the water and giggling at the way it was splashing.

"Just for the family slide?" Beckett asked.

Shaking her head Julia explained, "The others too."

"Did you ask your sister to join you?" Beckett said.

"No, she asked to come with us," Eliza said, shaking her head.

"She wanted to," Julia added, smiling as her sister wrapped her arms around their mother. "We said they could come with us." She looked over at the ski jump which was the slide Beckett had just gone on and said, "Think they'll go on that one?"

"The tall one I went on?" she asked with a smile. Beckett couldn't help laughing when they both nodded and then said, "I don't know, but don't ask them. If they want to do that then let them tell you."

"Okay," Julia said. She was speaking absently as she had spotted her father walking over to the cabana. "Dad has dessert," she said with a smile.

"Good, I'm hungry," Eliza said. She giggled when her mother glanced down at her and then hugged her before they were going to the table in front of the cabana.

"I got a dozen," Castle said once everyone was there. "But we're a little uneven."

"I'll split one with Eliza," Beckett said.

"I'll only have one," Martha said simply.

"Let's just eat one each before we see who wants a second one," Alexis suggested.

"Okay," Eliza said, taking one donut.

"Hold on," Castle said. "I brought a knife because we need to split them; we have two sauces."

Though she didn't want to, Eliza handed her father her donut before she watched him cut it and she asked, "What are the sauces?"

"Chocolate and raspberry," Castle said.

"Can I put both?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"At the same time?" Julia said uncertainly.

"Better dip each half in different sauce kiddo," Martha told her. "So you don't mix them."

Watching Eliza nod as she dipped her first half, Beckett then turned her attention to her own donut before they were splitting the donuts, so everyone had an even amount. "Okay," she said when they'd finished, and her father had thrown away the trash from the dessert. "Now you need to take it easy before you go on the fast slides," she told the girls with a smile.

"The creek?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"No, we should walk and take pictures," Alexis said, laughing with the others as both girls gasped. "You don't want to join us?" she asked her stepmother.

Shaking her head Beckett said with a smile, "It's time for us to spend some time with Josie."

"Dad?" Alexis then said to him.

"Oh no, I'm staying with them," Castle said firmly. He glanced at his wife, wondering if she wanted to stay with the baby on her own.

" _Ba mhaith liom tú adhúnadh_ ," Beckett told her husband with a smirk, which meant she wanted him close.

" _Ba mhaith liom a bheith_ ," Castle replied evenly, not surprised when his wife looked startled. He'd told her that he'd like to be and when she eventually smiled at him he said, "So have a great time and get some good shots."

Watching the girls get up and hurry to their bag with their cameras in them, Beckett waved to their family and the others before she got up and went to her husband. Before he could say anything she was kissing him on the lips, gently but lingering for some time before she slowly pulled back murmuring, "I love you."

"I love you too," Castle replied. "What's your plan right now?"

"Well-" Beckett started to say before she paused when Josie started to cry in between them. "I guess that," she said with a smile before she took the baby out of her carrier and took her into the cabana.

Castle picked up the carrier and went after her, sitting at her side as she'd sat back on the cabana. Since Beckett was on the lounge chair to the left he knew she was blocked by the fabric in front of the structure so he merely turned in front of her to further obstruct her. "After this?" he asked.

"I knew you were going to say that," Beckett said with a smile, looking down at Josie who was nursing by then.

"Well?" Castle asked.

Beckett tilted her head up to look at him and she said, "I think we can just take a dip in the water, what else do you think we can do with her?"

"No, just wondering if you'd thought of something," Castle said.

"Rick if you want to go-" Beckett started to say before he stopped her by kissing her.

"I don't," Castle said. "Frankly it'd be great to just sit here."

"Because she'll take a nap?" Beckett asked. When her husband looked thoughtful she smiled and told him, "I think I agree."

Castle laughed and then watched her as she finished nursing Josie, taking the baby on his shoulder as soon as she was pulling away from her mother. After he'd burped her he walked around the inside of the cabana until Josie was asleep, setting her back into her carrier. "We could take naps ourselves," he commented once he was sitting with his wife.

Beckett smiled and said, "An interesting idea but I'm not that tired."

"Good point," Castle replied as he looked at Josie who was on the other side of the lounge chair.

"I wonder what she'll be like," Beckett began softly. She looked quickly at her husband and explained, "Will she want to go on the more thrilling slides or play things safe?"

"Well… if she's like all three of her big sisters I think she'll be the former," Castle replied. "But not so much they'll do something like go on that crazy slide," he added, nodding to the tallest one.

"You make it sound like it was a bad thing," Beckett said, trying not to sound angry but unable to help a little of her annoyance slipping out.

"No, I'm just joking," Castle said quickly, blanching as he realized how that sounded to her. "Like if she was still young and wanted to go on it, it'd sound… crazy." He sighed and said, "Usually I'm better at speaking."

"You are, and I got what you meant," Beckett replied. "Thank you for that." She leaned over and kissed him and said, "You know what?"

"What?" Castle asked, watching her stand up.

"Oh good, we have water," Beckett said as she grabbed a bottle of water that came with the cabana. "Anyway, since we can't do all that much while she's asleep why don't we check on tomorrow."

"Right," Castle said, getting his phone from the bag that the girls' cameras had been in. He went on the screen and said, "And everything is ready, why did I have to make reservations for lunch?"

"Because I want to make sure we eat there," Beckett replied. "And since it was last minute."

"I dropped the ball there," Castle said. "That's the right use, right?"

Beckett laughed softly and said, "Yes but you didn't really, we didn't find it until two days ago."

Castle nodded and then set aside his phone, looking at his wife for a moment before he said, "Mind if I put you on my lap right now?"

"No, but be careful with that," Beckett told him as she moved to let him sit where she had been before she climbed onto his lap. They sat quietly, watching the bay in front of them and she murmured, "I want to go to Tahiti so badly right now."

"And you feel guilty?" Castle asked. When she nodded he laughed softly and kissed her temple before he said, "I feel the same way so you're not alone in that. We'll go though; after the show."

"You're eager for that aren't you?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

"Extremely," Castle replied. "But you know what else I'm eager for?" When his wife gave him a questioning look he said, "For dinner."

"What do you have up your sleeve?" Beckett asked him.

"I don't have them right now; and you'll see," Castle said, laughing again when she rolled her eyes but leaned against him slightly before they brushed their lips together. When she changed the subject he relaxed, holding her closely as they spoke for the rest of Josie's nap. He hoped the surprise he'd set up for the meal would be appreciated though knowing his wife, it would be since it had to do with their family. He couldn't help himself, kissing her deeply before they looked at the park map to plan their last slides of the day once they were with their daughters later that afternoon.


	14. Never Such A Blizzard Before (Part 2)

"That was a good neigh," Julia said to her little sister with a smile.

"Yeah," Eliza said before they both started to laugh together. She then said, "Do you miss Lottie?"

"Yeah but I can't ride her yet," Julia said with a sigh. "I can't wait to see the pony."

"That's gonna be your pony," Eliza said to Josie who was sitting on Julia's lap, leaning against her chest. She then made the baby's stuffed horse gallop around and rub against her front, making Josie gurgle and smile. "I hope you pick a pretty name 'cause your horsie is gonna be pretty," she said.

Nodding, as her little sister was looking to her as if to confirm that, Julia then looked up at the doorway to their parents' bedroom. "Hi Mom," she said with a smile.

"Girls," Beckett said simply when Eliza whirled around to look at her. She smiled when the little girl threw her arms around her tightly and said, "I'm happy to see you too," before Eliza was talking rapidly while tilting her head up to her.

"You look very pretty Mommy, did Daddy see?" the little girl asked.

Smiling Beckett said, "He did, he's taking a shower right now so want to go out on the balcony?"

"Yeah!" the girls said at the same time before Julia was giving Josie to their mother. They went together with her to the balcony and the two leaned against the railing, watching some zebras walking by while a kudu stood next to the tree nearest the balcony.

Sitting behind them, Beckett quietly began to nurse Josie as she'd been able to tell the baby was ready to by the way she'd been fussing in her arms. Though she knew she needed a towel for after she gently rocked herself back and forth while she watched Josie, not realizing the girls had stopped talking about the animals they could see.

"I'll get a towel," Eliza whispered to her sister as they were watching their mother.

With a nod Julia went over to sit next to her mother and said, "We want to help," as Beckett was watching Eliza go inside.

"I know, thank you for doing that," Beckett replied. She looked at her daughter and said, "You can keep watching the animals."

Julia didn't say anything, just smiled at her mother before she looked back down at Josie before she said, "Can we know where we're going to go now?"

Smiling Beckett said, "Not yet, when we get there you'll see."

"It must be fancy," Eliza said, coming back outside with a towel on her shoulder. She was about to tell her mother she was going to burp Josie when she gasped as the fabric was lifting off her before she whirled around.

"I can take care of her, watch the animals," Castle told the little girl.

Eliza wanted to argue but when her father took Julia's place on the chair next to her mother she went with her big sister over to the railing again. She was a little distracted though a giraffe had walked up to the tree near them and she glanced back at their parents a few times. She saw they were murmuring to each other and she smiled at her sister before she couldn't help herself. "Mommy? Daddy?" she asked.

Looking up at their middle daughter, Beckett asked, "What's wrong?"

"No," Eliza started to say before she stopped as they were standing up. She looked at Julia and seeing her big sister was walking over to them she then said, "Are you gonna have another baby?"

By the time she'd spoken that Castle was putting Josie in her carrier and he paused before he looked at his wife, letting her know she could answer that.

Beckett tried not to give her husband a look before she said, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you and Daddy are in love," Eliza said.

"We can also decide if we want to have a baby," Beckett explained. "And we decided Josie is our last baby we'll have."

With a slight frown Eliza asked, "Will you still be in love?"

"Of course," Castle and Beckett said firmly together.

Smiling as her sister laughed, Julia said, "Good, now can we see where we're gonna go eat?"

"Yes, let's go," Castle replied before he had Josie set on her stroller. When she was ready he pushed it after Beckett and the girls and they made their way down the hall to their parents' room to find they were waiting outside for them.

"Hello," Martha said. "Alexis- oh there she is," she began to say before she spotted her oldest granddaughter stepping out of the room next door. "Then we're ready."

Castle and Beckett followed their family over to the elevators and when they were on the monorail station platform they let Jim take the stroller as they remained behind the others.

"You look beautiful," Castle told his wife.

Frowning a little at him Beckett said, "You told me that before."

"In Irish," Castle replied. When his wife rolled her eyes, while she was smiling, he was tempted to reach for her but the Monorail was pulling up to them and he helped Eliza onto the train before they started down the track.

Looking out the window Julia said, "Dad? Will you tell us where we're going tomorrow?"

"I will, but at dinner," Castle said. "Sorry," he said, not surprised the girl looked frustrated. "But your sister is busy now."

"Yeah," Julia said, smiling at her little sister who was standing in front of Josie and pretending to dance with her. She turned back to her parents and seeing that her father's hand was holding on firmly to her mother's hip said, "You know that Lizzy had to ask that question before, right?"

"I'm not letting go," Castle said, mimicking a petulant voice. When Julia sighed he said, "We know and now she realizes that we decide- do you guys want another sibling?"

"No," Julia said, trying not to get annoyed since she knew they had a good reason to think that. "You said that you had Josa since you were in love and you still are. She thinks that means…"

"Eliza," Beckett said, calling the little girl over to them.

"Am I in trouble?" Eliza asked worriedly.

"No, we didn't have a chance to tell you that just because we're in love doesn't mean we have to have a baby," Beckett told her.

"Oh… kay," Eliza said, smiling at her. She wrapped her arms around her mother and then said, "I'm glad you are in love."

"So are we," Castle said with a smile before the train was stopping. "Come here," he told the little girl, picking her up and carrying her out with the others before they made their way through the resort.

"Do you like this one better?" Beckett asked her daughter with a smile.

"No," Julia said, smiling back at her. "It's pretty though."

"It is," Castle commented before they were reaching the restaurant.

" _Ohana_!" Julia said eagerly as she read the name. "Really?"

"Really," Castle replied. "Come on," he said as he went to the hostess and gave his name.

Walking through the eatery Julia was amazed by the décor and she smiled at the sight of the Hawaiian and moai statues that were all over. "This is so cool," she said.

"I thought it was when I saw it on the website," Castle commented. They gave their drink orders quickly and he said, "There are some surprises."

"And since dinner is the same for all of us we can let you play," Beckett said.

"Play?" Eliza asked in surprise before she heard a conch shell.

"They play games during the meals?" Martha asked her son in surprise when the girls left as the man with the shell called out to the kids there in the restaurant to play.

"Not all the time," Castle said. "And they'll be eating soon I'm sure."

Julia and Eliza, after they'd been given some fake leis, were soon racing as they pushed coconuts on the floor with brooms. They went past their families, smiling at them briefly before they reached the end and let the other kids go. They looked at each other, wondering if they should go back to their chairs, when the man leading the games spoke.

"And now we're going to bring out some friends for you, to help you learn how to hula," the man was telling the children and speaking loud enough so the others in the restaurant could hear him.

Looking around, Eliza gasped when she saw what was coming to them and she cried out to her sister, "It's Lilo and Stitch!"

"I see," Julia said, laughing softly at her sister's reaction. She looked back at their table and smiled seeing their parents watching them. Turning back, she wasn't surprised when the music started to play and she looked at her sister saying, "Time to dance."

"She'll love this place Dad," Alexis said to her father.

"I should have gotten reservations for you and Louis somewhere," Castle said, turning away from the girls hula dancing.

"We wanted to be with our families and I'm not bored," Alexis said, watching her sisters still. "Look, they're dancing with Stitch."

Turning back to them Beckett saw that the girls were with the character, moving their arms while someone was standing in front of them with a camera. While the woman was taking pictures, she looked at her husband and said, "Are they getting pictures for us?"

"They are," Castle said. "Just for tonight. And we'll take a family picture here at our table." He was pleased when she brushed her lips to his cheek and took her hand, squeezing it gently before they watched their daughters dancing again before they returned just as the starters were served.

"Oh yay, I'm hungry," Eliza said eagerly after she was on her chair. "What is it?"

"Pineapple coconut bread and some salad with special dressing," Castle said.

"Wait," Beckett said, stopping her husband from getting the bread to split up. "We should wait at least until the appetizers."

"Aren't these the appetizers?" Jim asked in surprise.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "They're just the starters."

"This sounds like it'll be quite a meal," Martha said.

Castle nodded before he looked at the girls who were talking to Beckett and Alexis. Since they were so busy he was the only one to hear Josie making a cooing sound before he reached over and took her out of her carrier. "She's okay," he said to his father in law who he saw was watching him. "Just in case."

"Dad," Julia said. "Thanks so much for the pictures." She paused and then said, "And the restaurant too, it's so cool."

"You're very welcome, I'm glad you guys like it," Castle said. "Even before the meal."

"What about tomorrow Daddy?" Eliza then asked.

"Ah, I was waiting for that," Castle replied. He took a sip of his drink and then said, "Our last park for our Disney World trip is Animal Kingdom."

"I told you," Julia said with a smile at her little sister. "Are you excited Dad?"

"You know about the _Avatar_ part?" Castle asked in surprise.

"Don't look at me," Beckett said quickly. "I didn't mention it to them."

"I did Richard," Martha said. She had to pause as they were being served what she saw were their entrees, sides and she guessed likely the appetizers too. Once they had food on their individual plates she said, "We were talking about what was left this morning and I mentioned I had thought the _Avatar_ things you were so crazy about would be at the Hollywood Studios park."

"Are there rides for that?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"There will be, we'll go together right?" Castle asked her.

Smiling as the little girl was nodding rapidly, Beckett then told her husband, "We'll go too, I'd like to see it as I've heard it's very well done."

"Great, but there's not just that," Castle said. He ate one of the potsticker appetizers and told them, "There are animals. And a roller coaster you might like Julia; I'm not sure yet if you can go sweetheart," speaking to Eliza last.

"But I can go on rides?" the little girl asked.

"You will," Alexis said reassuringly.

Beckett gently ran her hand over the back of Eliza's head and said firmly, "You will," before they returned to their meal and they ate for a while in silence. She was a bit startled when her father suddenly started to talk but when she realized it was a question she smiled as she'd been waiting for him or Martha to ask when they'd heard about their plans for the next day.

"Will you be able to take Josie around any animals at all?" Jim said.

"We'll have to see," Castle said quickly.

"You're no fun Dad," Alexis said. She smiled when her father looked at her in surprise and she said, "I'm talking for them."

"Thanks," Julia said, smiling at her big sister. "But hopefully she can do something."

"We'll see," Beckett replied. "How do you like your food?"

"It's good," Eliza said. "Are you happy?"

"I'm just glad we're here," Beckett said. "And glad that you are."

"And for this picture," Castle commented. He smiled at his wife when she looked at him and he nodded to the side of the table where the woman who'd taken pictures of their daughters was walking up to them with a camera. "Family picture?" he asked her.

"Not the official one," Beckett said though she was smiling at him at the same time. She squeezed his hand and then let him get Josie before she had the girls stand in front of the end of the table, so they would be in the shot with Alexis who joined them. After the picture was taken and they were eating she said to her husband, "Thank you."

Smiling at her Castle said, "You're welcome, I figured this would be the best time for that."

Beckett squeezed his hand tightly and then kissed the top of Josie's head before he was putting her back in her carrier. They talked about the parks they'd been to and let the girls guess about the park the next day until they were waiting for dessert. She wasn't surprised when Eliza came over to her and climbed onto her lap and she kissed her temple, about to ask if she was excited to go to Universal Studios in two days when she heard the click of a shutter across the table, finding her husband was there with her father's camera.

"I couldn't help myself," Castle said with a smile.

"How did you get back over there without me seeing you?" Beckett asked. She then noticed he was holding something behind his back and said, "What're you doing?"

Castle handed Jim back his phone before he went around to his seat and once he was on it he showed Beckett what he had. "I couldn't help myself," he told her.

"No you couldn't," she said with a smile, gently cupping his cheek while she took the plumeria he held with his other hand. Beckett could only lean over and brush her lips against his cheek before she tucked the flower behind her left ear. "Thank you," she said before she spoke in Irish. " _Gabhaim buíochas leá tar bhealach_ ," she told him.

Swallowing a little hard, as she'd said she'd thank him somehow, Castle murmured, " _Feicfidh mé an rud céanna leat_ ," which meant he would do the same to her.

"Presumptuous," Beckett said, leaning close to him and whispering to his ear. She smiled when he did and they watched as their desserts were being served.

"Mom…" Julia started to say, looking at hers.

"Take one of your sister's brownies," Beckett said gently. "Eliza-" she started to say to the little girl.

"No, it's okay," Eliza said. "They're too much huh?"

"Yes," Beckett said, eating the bread pudding that all the adults had gotten. She watched the girls eating and then whispering to each other before she turned her attention to her food until they were finishing and getting up to leave from the table.

"What're we gonna do now?" Eliza asked, going to her father and taking his hand.

"Go back to the hotel," Castle replied.

"Can we see the aminals?" Eliza said with a slight gasp.

"Yes," Castle said. When she looked up at him in surprise he smiled and picked her up though he'd been about to push the stroller. Placing her on his shoulders he then said, "We have something planned for you."

"But we already had dessert," Eliza said, leaning over so she could wrap her arms under his chin.

Laughing Castle said, "We're not having dessert, but we have something else in mind." He could sense Eliza's consternation at not knowing what they were going to do but didn't say anything, walking after the rest of their family as they left the restaurant, so she would see what their planned activity was soon.

* * *

"I'm not surprised that you decided to do this again," Martha said to her son.

"I thought they'd be disappointed there were no s'mores," Castle replied.

"I think they're full," Martha replied with a smile as they watched Julia and Eliza running around near the firepit with Alexis.

"At least that means they're happy," Beckett said, walking over to them.

"Were you able to get the milk?" Castle asked her as he stood up.

"I was," Beckett replied, letting him take her hand. "Are we joining them?"

"Yes," Castle said simply. When she squeezed his hand, they walked over to the girls though they stood near them since they were still running around.

"Tag," Alexis said, smiling at Julia as she managed to touch her elbow.

Laughing the girl turned and was going to speak before she stopped herself and said, "Hey Mom, Dad. Do we need to go in?"

"No, we can go and look at the animals now," Castle said.

"We have to stop playing?" Eliza asked.

"No, but for now let's go and look," Castle told her before the three girls were hurrying over to the railing nearby. They stood behind them and he said, "I was going to tell you guys a story."

"Really Dad?" Alexis asked wryly, looking over her shoulder.

"Yes," Castle said. "But not yet," he said when he saw the girls looked disappointed.

"Keep watching," Beckett told the two. When they turned back ahead she looked at her husband and then leaned over to murmur into his ear, "What story do you have?"

"A memory," Castle said gently. He then smiled at her and said, "It was one autumn when we went to Mount Tam."

"Oh," Beckett said softly as she thought that over. "I remember," she murmured to him.

"Good, you can help me," Castle said, smiling at her before he kissed her temple before Eliza was suddenly crying out and getting their attention.

"Look at the zebras!" the little girl said excitedly.

Turning to where she was pointing, Beckett saw that three of the group that was near them were running around each other. She glanced at her husband and when she saw he was biting into his lower lip told him, "Go ahead and say it."

"Our daughters turned into zebras," Castle told his wife. He glanced at the girls just past her and pretended to jump saying, "And now they're back. They have their wands on them somewhere… or just Alexis; that is some advanced magic."

"Dad," Julia groaned before they started to laugh together. "But they remind me of the horses at home."

"They're close to them," Beckett said.

"What's close to the giraffe?" Eliza asked as one was walking slowly past them as the zebras had stopped play fighting.

"I don't think there is anything… not that I know of," Castle replied. "Don't ask me to look it up I'm on vacation."

Alexis shook her head at her sisters and said, "He's feeling lazy… or he left his phone in their room."

"I didn't but I just want to enjoy this," Castle said. He looked at his wife and was about to speak when they heard Josie starting to cry. "Time for dinner?" he asked her.

"No," Beckett said before she left them, walking rapidly towards her father and mother in law. "You-" she began as Martha was walking towards the hotel.

"I'll take care of it darling, just enjoy your evening," Castle's mother called before she went inside.

"Is it time for the story?" Eliza asked as she took her father's hand. "Gram is gonna miss it."

"I'll wait for her," Castle replied before they were walking over to the firepit. When they'd gotten there he sat down and watched as Eliza rushed over to her mother, getting onto her lap.

"Can I stay here Mommy?" the little girl asked.

"You can," Beckett replied with a smile, wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter. She pressed her lips against her temple and murmured, "Don't fall asleep."

"Do you know the story?" Eliza asked her interestedly.

"It's not a story," Julia told her little sister as she was standing next to them. "It's a memory, isn't it?"

"It is, and you four are there," Castle said, looking at the three girls.

"Are you going to tell Josa about these memories when she's old enough to hear about them?" Julia asked.

"She'll remember," Beckett said suddenly. When her father looked at her, startled, she frowned and said, "I don't know why I said that."

"You know," Castle replied.

Though she didn't want to, Beckett nodded her head slowly before she then said, "But you girls don't remember anything so maybe I just-"

"I've remembered," Alexis said. She smiled when her family all looked at her at almost the same time and told them, "Just some quick memories of a school and… poodle skirts… I've been a little afraid to focus on anything."

"You can, you'll be alright," Castle told his daughter. "It's what we do."

Nodding slowly, Alexis said, "Maybe another time."

Castle was about to ask Julia and Eliza if they remembered anything themselves when his mother was coming out to them. He took Josie and said, "Alright, are you ready for a story Mother?"

"Go ahead," Martha said simply as she settled onto her seat before a cast member was coming out to them.

Waiting until everyone had their milk or tea, Castle then said, "It's fall of 1936 and we were on our way to a creek where we always went on Mount Tam." He took a quick sip of tea and then continued talking about the girls first so he could give their ages as he knew they were all wondering about that.

* * *

 _"Oh Ma, can't we go in?" eight-year-old Alexandra begged._

 _"I'm afraid not it's far too cold. And we're just here for a picnic," Kate said, smiling at her daughter. "Help your grandma with the food."_

 _"What can I do Ma?" six-year-old Josephine asked as she took her hand._

 _"Stay with me," Kate told her, walking over to where her husband was sitting next to the pool of water they had stopped next to. "Anything?"_

 _"It's a good thing we have food," Rick replied. He smiled at their youngest and handed her the fishing rod he was holding telling her, "Not even a nibble."_

 _"We're almost ready, so leave the fish be love," Kate told him._

 _Getting up off the boulder where he'd been sitting trying to fish while the girls had played, Rick wrapped his arm around his wife and brushed his lips against hers. "I'll be back," he called to the water._

 _"Go you sap," Kate said, smiling widely at him before they went with their youngest over to where the blanket was laid out with their food and the rest of their family was gathered. Her mother was keeping nine-year-old Elizabeth and Alexandra from going into the basket for their dessert while she sat next to her husband. She was about to tell the two to stop before Julia was speaking to her sisters sharply and abruptly._

 _"Stop or else you'll ruin the picnic!" the fourteen-year-old nearly hissed._

 _"Julia," Rick told her a little sternly. "And you two you'll have your dessert after we eat."_

 _"Sorry Elizabeth, Alexandra," Julia quickly told her sisters._

 _"Sorry," the two little girls said to everyone in their family._

 _"We should eat," Johanna said gently before she picked up her cucumber sandwich._

 _Kate started the conversation up again after she noticed that the girls were exchanging looks with each other. They asked if they could fly kites, but she reminded them about the fact that they would have to avoid all the trees around them. When they were finished and had eaten the cookies she had baked that morning with the four she said, "Go on and play."_

 _"Let's play Cat's Cradle," Alexandra said as she was looking in the bag they had brought with them. She pulled out a string and handed it to Julia since she was the best at that game._

 _Watching their oldest begin with the first figure, Kate squeezed her husband's hand before she reached into the bag and held up one of the wickets. "Shall we?" she asked him._

 _"Yes," Rick said firmly as he stood up with her. They walked together to the bare, flat patch of earth by the water before they got the croquet game set up. When he stood after placing the last wicket he was about to call the girls over when he saw they were running to them to his laughter._

 _"Be careful," Kate said though she knew it would be hard to get them to listen. "We'll take turns," she told them as her husband was passing out the mallets. "But whoever wins please be gracious."_

 _"We will," Julia, Elizabeth and Alexandra said in response while their littlest sister was giggling._

 _"Go ahead first Josephine," Rick told the little girl._

 _Kate went to her husband and took his hand while they were watching Josephine hitting the croquet ball in front of her and they soon allowed their other daughters to go before taking their turns. Once they were she wasn't surprised when Julia and Elizabeth started to playfully fence. When their father joined them she said to the girls, "Stop that, Rick you're as bad as they are." She shook her head at them all before she smiled and said, "I thought we were playing."_

 _Rick was smiling himself when their daughters were all saying they were loudly, and he calmed them down so they could start their turns over again. Once Josephine was going back to the game he turned to his wife and briefly kissed her cheek before walking over to help their daughter. When he looked up at Kate he was startled to see her looking at him lovingly and he had to look away, suddenly filled with a rush of desire that he couldn't control. He breathed deeply and watched the girls, promising himself he would be with his wife as soon as they were back home and ensconced in their bedroom that night._

* * *

 _Running her hands over the back of her husband's head Kate allowed their kiss to last for a little longer before they were slowly parting. She then smiled once she'd pulled away from him and murmured, "This was a wonderful idea."_

 _"It was," Rick breathed out heavily. "Should we leave?"_

 _"Hmm, not yet," Kate told him, nuzzling her nose against his. She eventually let go of him and floated away slightly, letting him come after her before she swam over to the waterfall where they'd come for a quick visit before their daughters returned from the city. They were completely alone and had made love before they'd eaten their lunch they'd packed with them. It had been rough and quick, and she had enjoyed it greatly, knowing by the way her husband was following her rapidly that he felt the same._

 _Rick stayed below her as she was standing in the waterfall, watching the way the water was flowing over her body as she put on her underclothes. He pushed himself out of the water and then walked up to her, only in his undershirt and boxers as he dressed himself rapidly in his underclothing. He stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around her, running his hands over her body before they kissed passionately. He tasted her and the fresh water that was bathing them at that moment before she moved away from him to murmur against his lips._

 _"Again?" Kate asked him._

 _"Not here," Rick replied before they kissed again. It was short when she moved her arms from around his neck and he looked at her in surprise before he was falling back into the water. Coming up quickly he had to close his eyes when she was jumping in after him and he reached for her, grabbing her he wasn't surprised when she jumped away from him and she slipped out of his grasp. He moved after her and ducked underneath before he looked up to watch her before she stopped._

 _"Rick?" Kate asked as she realized he wasn't behind her. She looked around and then cried out before she was pulled underneath. She'd been able to close her mouth just in time, so when she resurfaced she wasn't coughing for air. She splashed her husband when he reappeared and said, "You're lucky I had a feeling you were going to do that."_

 _Smiling Rick kissed her on the lips and said, "Why would I hurt you?"_

 _"For later?" Kate asked._

 _"Not just for that," Rick said quickly. He let go of her and they swam over to the other side of the pond before they got out. He took her towel before she could and wrapped it around her before he started to rub her dry._

 _Feeling her husband going after her breasts Kate said, "Fresh, you'll have them later."_

 _"Is that a promise?" Rick asked his wife. When she merely smiled at him he shuddered heavily and then focused his attention on her fully to get them back home._

* * *

"How many times were we together after that?" Beckett asked her husband with a smile.

"A number," Castle said simply. When she smiled and shook her head he leaned over, brushing his lips against hers. They were back in their room, Josie asleep in the crib in the bedroom, and they were in the living room together on the couch with the door connecting the rooms closed and the monitor and tablet on the coffee table in front of them. He'd told her about their trip to the same waterfall the summer before the memory he'd told their family and she'd ended up on his lap though he couldn't really complain as she was leaning over to kiss him again.

Though she had intended to be gentle and quick, Beckett couldn't help herself and she made the kiss deep while they wrapped their arms tightly around one another. When they stopped dueling with their tongues and she was the first to slowly move away from him she smiled and said, "So we couldn't stop."

"No," Castle said, slightly breathless. He smiled when she did and then said, "But I'm sure you don't want me to tell you about our early afternoon back at home."

"Probably better that you don't," Beckett said smiling at him. She brushed her lips to his and told him, "But I do have one question."

"Go ahead," Castle told her, watching her.

"Did we have protection?" Beckett asked.

"I did… I guess I kept it on until… that's right, until I got dressed," Castle said, thinking that over before he got the answer quickly.

"Good," Beckett said. "Do you think that waterfall is still there?"

"Maybe," Castle said. "But I don't think it ever had a name," he then told her.

Nodding her head Beckett smiled and said, "How many times did we go there to do that?"

"Just the one time," Castle said. "We lost control then."

Beckett laughed softly, and she gently kissed his cheek before telling him, "And we almost forgot our lunch."

"We had it in bed," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. They began to laugh before they were quickly calming themselves since they didn't want to wake up the baby though the door was closed.

"And then we enjoyed cleaning up the crumbs after," Castle said.

"You licked them off me," Beckett told him. When her husband looked at her in confusion she rolled her eyes and told him, "You did, you licked them off my breasts."

"I did…" Castle said slowly, looking down at her chest that was still covered by her sundress as they hadn't changed for bed yet. He was so focused on studying her entire body that he didn't realize she was watching him closely until she brushed her fingers against the side of his neck.

"Rick," Beckett said gently. She playfully pinched at his shoulder and getting his attention that way said, "Thank you, do you want to touch me right now."

Castle found himself blinking a few times at how direct she was being before he shook himself and said, "Of course but I don't think that's a good idea."

"I think it's fantastic," Beckett told him firmly.

Swallowing a little hard, Castle looked at his wife as he sat up a little straighter and said, "It is but-" Before he could go past that third word his wife was kissing him hard on the lips, crushing them as he groaned deeply in pleasure. He held onto his wife tightly and pulled her close until he pulled away from her and said, "You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

"You don't want to," Beckett said simply before she deliberately moved around on his lap. At his heavy groan she smiled and told him, "I think I made my point."

"You did," Castle said, breathing out. "But what exactly are we doing?"

"Just touching," Beckett replied.

"Not in the shower?" Castle asked.

"No, I don't want to be wet this time," Beckett told him firmly.

"Okay," Castle said though he wasn't surprised when he found his voice was heavily strained. He brought his wife to him and kissed her again, sensuously and a lot more slowly than they had been before. While they were doing that he lay his hand on her knee before he slowly moved it up and then under the skirt of her sundress. "Kate," he whispered against her lips as she pulled away from him with a gasp.

"Please," Beckett begged him.

"Did you want me to do this?" Castle asked, startled at her tone of voice.

"I did… you're a hard man to resist," Beckett told him. She then just barely brushed her fingers against his lower lip and told him; her voice a little huskier in pleasure; "And if you're thinking of the park remember I'm here with you. I need you."

Castle crushed his lips against his wife's, moving his right hand from under her skirt and holding her tightly against him. When she responded to him quickly he caressed her hair and her back before he moved down to her neck, kissing it frantically before she stopped him.

"Sorry that's… a little too much," Beckett said with a smile. She caressed his face with her hands and told him, "I'm ready for you."

Knowing that wasn't her telling him so he wouldn't stop hesitating, Castle brushed his lips against hers and said, "This skirt is annoying me."

"Oh?" Beckett asked with a smile. She then took his hand and pushed it up her thigh again, though that time to push her skirt up. "There," she told him, kissing the side of his head. "Problem solved."

"It is," Castle said roughly before he started to gently caress her exposed skin. He shuddered heavily and told her, "It's like silk…"

Beckett thought he was delaying when suddenly her husband was gently pushing her so she was leaning back against the arm of the couch. She nearly held her breath as her husband reached a little higher up her legs and she told him, "I did step into the bathroom remember," when his fingers suddenly paused.

Nodding, Castle then reached more deliberately until he reached his wife's exposed sex. Fingering her clit, he felt how swollen it was already and he breathed out hard when she started to move against him. He rubbed at her, knowing she wasn't going to be able to wait any longer, having his fingers slip lower and lower until he was right at her folds. He sucked in a deep breath of air at how moist she was and he was about to ask her if she wanted him to use his fingers inside of her when she suddenly sat up.

"Help me," Beckett told him when she saw he was watching her trying to reach behind her.

"I'll be too tempted," Castle explained to her as he stopped her.

Beckett paused, though she wanted to protest, and she smiled saying, "You could have looked."

"It's too much," Castle said, his gaze going to her breasts. "They're perfect."

Her cheeks flushing at the compliment, Beckett distracted herself and leaned over, kissing him deeply before she gasped and ended the kiss a few minutes later when his fingers were rubbing at her yet again. "Oh… I… Rick…" she was moaning as he very gently was slipping his index fingertip into her.

"Do you want me to go further?" Castle asked her, his voice husky.

Shaking her head, Beckett told him, "My clit, please." When his reaction was to finger the swollen nub, she tried not to cry out too loudly as the sensation was immediate and intense. She held him tightly, trying to move with him as he was soon sliding his fingers flat between her legs. The action was taking her over fully and she was ready to climax while he was doing that when he suddenly stopped.

"Not like that," Castle told his wife when she looked at him in shock. He moved them quickly, laying her on the couch before he got in between her legs. He found her clit easily, sucking it lightly before he flicked at it with his tongue. When her fingers slid through his hair he knew she was close and he was relieved as he wanted to do more than just anything sexual that night with her.

Trying to keep her voice down, Beckett wasn't sure how she was doing it as everything her husband was making her feel was too much. She only had a second to gasp her husband's name before she was orgasming, scratching repeatedly at the back of the couch that was to her left. Her ecstasy was intense and she was immersed in it until it slowed down and finally came to a stop. Breathing heavily as her husband was very delicately lapping at her sex, Beckett whispered to him, "I'm doing the same to you."

"Can I lay down?" Castle asked, finishing and pulling away from her. When she kissed him then he had his answer and he moved to lay where she had been, Beckett helping him the entire way. He looked on while she was opening his trousers and he asked, "Need help?"

"Oh no," Beckett replied, working as quickly as she could with his boxers before she was drawing his erection out. She bit her lower lip, considering it, before she looked up at her husband as an idea had come to mind. She was just about to ask him if she could do what she wanted to when he was interrupting her swiftly to her surprise.

"Don't, I'll reach up and then…" Castle started to say before he trailed off.

"You know you can do that," Beckett said, wanting to take off the top of her sundress. When he shook his head she sighed and said, "You know I'm eager to get back to that right?"

"I'm aware," Castle told her. "Um…" he started to say before he looked down at himself. "Should we-" He was cut off when his wife leaned over then and kissed him, and he was relieved when she slowly pulled away with a smile. "Love," he breathed out on a groan.

Beckett didn't say anything, instead she sat back up and straddled his legs before she took his erection with her hand while the other she let drift down. With her right she gently ran it up and down repeatedly before her husband shifted, leading her to ask, "Is anything wrong?"

"No," Castle groaned, keeping his voice down the best he could. Her left hand was exploring one specific area and he was fighting the tight pressure at his groin that was building more and more.

Beckett allowed herself to work on him for a little longer before she slid down enough so she could take him into her mouth. As soon as she was there she was moving around him swiftly, knowing he'd had to deal with his arousal while taking care of her. She felt his hand on her hair, knowing he would try and stop her but she ignored him, enjoying herself greatly at the same time before she very gently pulled away from him.

"K-" Castle started to say before he cut himself off when she began to kiss around his member. He thought his breathing had turned into a wheeze as the sharp shock each press of her lips gave him made him do that. He cupped the back of her head, groaning her name in a low tone until he felt her mouth slipping over him again. "Kate, I-I'm going to come… I can't stop," he warned her. Looking down at her he saw the look she gave him and when she squeezed her left hand as she was slowly pulling up at the same time it was the last push that he needed. He hissed out her name and then grit his teeth together tightly so he wouldn't shout as he went through his climax. The pleasure was heavy and seemed to be unending so he was disappointed when it stopped and he was limp on the couch.

Watching her husband reach to her Beckett moved to him immediately, relieved when he sat up. They kissed deeply, and she wasn't surprised when his hands on her back clutched at him a little tightly. When they stopped she smiled and said, "That's why I like to pleasure you first, you last longer."

Shrugging, Castle brushed his lips to hers, as a thank you to him, and when she did the same to him he knew she was telling him the same. "We need to stop, don't we?" he asked her reluctantly after they'd pressed their foreheads together.

Beckett nodded and then followed her husband off the couch before they got dressed and went to the bedroom to get ready as quickly as they could. She went over to the crib when she finished brushing her teeth first and she leaned over the side of it, checking on Josie. She reached down and gently brushed her fingers over the baby's feathery dark hair, sensing her husband coming up next to her before she straightened up and looked at him.

Castle kissed her gently but lingered a bit before he finally slowly moved back from her before he said, "I love you Kate," his voice low but his tone firm.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied with a smile. She kissed him that time and was tempted to make it passionate but she was quick to stop herself so he could look down at their youngest.

Brushing his fingers gently over Josie's hair, Castle straightened up and took Beckett's hand to go over to the bed without a word. He waited for her to get in first before he followed, climbing over her and gathering her into his arms tightly before they were kissing again.

"Is this to make up for tomorrow," Beckett said teasingly when they parted.

"Yes," Castle replied. When she laughed softly he pressed his lips to her forehead and said, "I'm not going to be that bad."

"Are you sure?" Beckett said. When he pinched her side, she cried out and said, "Don't, you're going to make me wake Josie up."

"Sorry," Castle said. He let her settle against him again and said, "Earlier was really nice."

"It was," Beckett said. "But we have more time with the girls."

"I can't wait," Castle said seriously.

"Neither can I," Beckett said, looking up at him though their room was dark. They kissed gently, and she laid down again, her cheek against his shoulder before she heard him murmur goodnight. "Night love," she told him with a smile before she finally closed her eyes. While she was eager for the next day she couldn't help recalling hers and Castle's intimacy, letting that lull her to sleep so she could dream of her husband through the rest of the night.


	15. Wild Life

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I was really pleased getting the feedback I did for the last chapter so will go into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (It was nice to read you liked the family moments in the chapter, I loved writing them. And great you liked how the second half of the chapter worked out),

Mb (So pleased seeing you thought the first half was a sweet and funny update. Really glad you thought the water park sounded fun; it looks like it from what I've seen and watched, lol. And yeah, they'll have slides with something for everyone so I'm happy you noticed that. That slide Beckett and Skye went on, the tall one, according to Wikipedia it's the third tallest free fall slide in the world so… your comment of it being extreme and the wow you said are warranted, lol. But I'm glad you thought it was a fun day at the water park for everyone since that's what I was aiming for! You're very welcome for the first half of the chapter! I was happy that you thought the second half was beautifully written. Not surprised that you were laughing when Eliza asked Castle and Beckett if they were going to have another baby. Or that you mentioned them saying they yes immediately to the question if they were in love. And I figure they would need to make sure Eliza understood that even though they weren't going to have another baby they would stay in love. When I saw the restaurant, I thought the same as you since it was Lilo and Stitch themed, great you loved it! I was happy to see you liked the memory and that Alexis is getting glimpses of that along with the others too. And I agree with what you said it can't be denied ow that it's a true past life and that it proves true love is eternal. I'm glad that you enjoyed Castle and Beckett being intimate but holding back since Josie was with them. And nice you mentioned they're first and foremost loving parents. Again, pleased to read you thought the second half was beautifully written!),

Emma (I was very happy seeing that you thought the two halves of the chapter were great. I'm not surprised you can understand how Castle and Beckett; being as attractive as you said they were; hate when other people ogle them. And I'm really glad you mentioned they only have eyes for each other since I enjoy writing that part of their relationship. I'm also not surprised that with them dressed up you thought they were a stunning family. And really, I had thought of having them being noticed as you said but it never really fit anywhere and I was focusing on them and the rides so much, lol, but yeah it's a bit odd I didn't have that happening. I'm so, so pleased you said that my descriptions of the parks and rides make you want to take a family vacation there because I have never been to Walt Disney World; just Disneyland; and I did want to do it justice so it's great I could! I really hope you'll enjoy them at Animal Kingdom since I tried to do justice with that too! You're welcome for the chapter!) and

vetgirlmx (I agree with you completely, after having so much fun it would be very hard not to miss the parks. And yeah, I was surprised when I was looking into the park that the slides were more intense, Typhoon Lagoon was made before Blizzard Beach so I think the latter one ended up with the more intense slides since newer slides came in the years but that's just a guess, lol. But the fact Summit Plummet is in Blizzard Beach kinda speaks to that, lol. I'm glad that you were so happy that Julia met Stitch, it almost wasn't going to happen but then I found that restaurant and I had to have them go there. And had to put in pics of course since Stitch has been so important to Julia, lol. It was nice that you thought it was very sweet that Eliza got excited about seeing him too. But yeah, she loves Stich because of Julia since that happens with siblings but glad you liked that she enjoyed it too! You know, I did hear that the okapi and giraffes are close relatives, not sure why I didn't put that in, lol, but you're right about that! I was happy reading that you enjoyed the flashback as usual since you were kinda missing them as you put it, I couldn't find spots for them so found one, lol, so I'm glad you understand why they were just referencing them, and they weren't there since they're so busy at the moment, lol. Thank you so much for catching up! And you'll have the chance to get a new chapter to read soon and won't need to wait anymore for it!)

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them all and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them to me!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is the name of a song by Paul and Linda McCartney, from the Wings album of the same name.

Wild Life

"I guess the question is, now that we're here," Castle said. "Do we deal with the animal stuff or go on the rides."

"I think we should go on rides first," Eve suggested.

"Yeah, that way we don't have to wait to go on them after we have lunch," Mari said swiftly after her.

After they'd stopped laughing together Castle said, "Good idea, let's get going to our first ride."

"What is it?" Eliza asked her mother as she was walking with her.

"I think it's the roller coaster that's here," Beckett replied.

"Can I go on it?" Eliza said hopefully.

"We'll have to wait and see," Beckett told her. When her daughter squeezed her hand, she had to hope that the little girl was tall enough for it as they were nearing the Asia section of the park where the ride was. When they got to it she went to where the regular line started so Eliza could be measured, breathing in a little before the cast member began to speak.

"I'm afraid you're just an inch or two shorter than the line," the man said. "Sorry about that."

Eliza couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes, but she let her mother take her over to where Martha and Jim were with the babies. "Mommy-" she started to say miserably.

"Hey Eliza," Mari said, hurrying over to her. "Think you can do me and my parents a big favor?"

"Kay," the little girl said in surprise.

"Watch Dani? She's really little so she doesn't get to go," Mari told her.

Smiling at her friend, who was being brought over by David, Eliza said, "Kay, I can do that."

"Hey Eliza," Brennan said. "You might want to look at the drop right there."

Turning her head, Eliza saw the steep drop and the train that was going down it before her mouth dropped open. "Am I too little?" she asked her parents who were on either side of her.

"I think so," Beckett said. "Luckily you're too short," she said after shaking herself. "Stay here with your sister and friends?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, smiling. "Have fun," she said to them, waving goodbye before she went over to everyone else at the bench to watch the trains going down the drop again.

"This is so cool," Julia said, looking around at the décor while they were walking through the exit of Expedition Everest.

"It is," Castle said in agreement. "Now you can't deny there is a yeti," he said to his wife. "A Disney yeti."

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Fine, but don't press the point."

"Oh no, I'm done," Castle replied. He smiled when she laughed and shook her head before he squeezed her hand he was holding as they walked. "Think you'll be okay?" he directed to the two who were walking with them.

"Sure, we've been on bigger drops," Julia said simply. "Japan," she reminded him.

"True," Castle said. "Then are you even eager about this ride? Might be a bit tame."

"Why are you a killjoy?" Brad asked his friend. He smiled when Castle gave him a look and said, "Just kidding. I've heard this ride was popular."

"And now we're here," Beckett said.

"And someone left all their stuff," Fleur said as there were items that people hiking would have along the platform to get to the exit.

"Oh, I think it's the yeti," Skye said, pretending to tickle her.

"Stop Mummy," Fleur said with a laugh.

"Let's hurry and get on the ride _grá_ ," Mary said with a smile at her wife.

Getting onto the seat in the second row of the next train that had arrived, Beckett felt her husband nudge her before she glanced at him questioningly. She suddenly realized what he was doing, and she quickly placed her hand on his chest before he spoke.

"No, think she'll freak out?" Castle asked his wife as they weren't moving yet.

"I'll be fine," Julia said in front of them with Mari.

"Well you are sitting in the front," Beckett told her teasingly.

Before she could reply the train was moving and Julia was smiling at her friend before they were curving to the right and going over a small dip. Coming around to an incline she pointed ahead of them and said eagerly, "Look at the mountain."

"Everest!" Mari said.

Beckett smiled at the way the girls were laughing together before they reached the top and she looked past them to their drop which wasn't very long. But they were going to the left and she wasn't surprised when all the kids were crying out at the same time, laughing herself as they came to a dip surrounded on either side by foliage. When they banked to the left again she glanced at her husband as she watched him raising his arms before she was following him. When they straightened up to approach another incline she heard the girls in front of her gasping and she shared a smile with Castle before the two were talking over the clicking of the chain.

"That's so cool," Mari said.

"I know, I wonder if we'll see the yeti finally," Julia replied. She looked around and then said to her parents behind them, "Where are Lizzy and Josa?"

"I have no idea," Castle said. "But I'm sure Eliza's watching for us." By then they were reaching the structure that he had also thought was where they'd go inside. Though it wasn't he wasn't surprised the girls were pointing at the artwork above them as it was of a yeti and he then looked past his wife. "Yikes," he said as there was nothing to her right.

"Look forward," Beckett said with a smile as she pushed on his cheek so he would do that.

"Now we're at Everest," David said, sitting behind Castle and Beckett with his wife.

"And we're going to fall off it," the former said, glancing back at his friend.

"Rick," Beckett told him teasingly as she lightly poked his shoulder. She smiled as he quickly straightened himself out in time to see the short drop they had. At first she was a little disappointed when they went over and were still going relatively slowly before they suddenly sped up. "We need to sit in the back," she called to her husband when they were quickly banking left.

"I agree," Castle called as they came into a tunnel and were soon coming up to the end of the track, hearing Mari let out a short scream in reaction as it was broken and raised.

"It's okay," Julia said quickly to her friend as they were going right up to the angled tracks before stopping. She looked around as the sound of what she knew was the yeti howling was playing before she heard the release of brakes and she cried, "We're going backwards!" just before they were beginning to do so.

Laughing as they were going quickly, Beckett wasn't surprised when they were going to the right and soon after they were plunged into darkness. She had no idea how long they were like that, going backwards, before they stopped and she could see on the rocks above them the silhouette of a yeti destroying railroad tracks. When she heard breaks releasing again she squeezed her husband's hand before they were going straight again, and she cried out as they quickly came back outside and were going down the steep drop they'd seen outside while their pictures were being taken.

Julia found herself a little breathless at the speed they were going at, even in the front, before they were banking left once more. She was crying out as it felt they were soon doing so steeply before they were almost straightening out going into a tunnel. She couldn't help laughing when they were banking left again outside and seemed to do so steeply until they straightened right at another tunnel.

Beckett found she was extremely relieved that Eliza hadn't been able to go on the ride as they were plunged in darkness again and were going fast underneath a yeti that was clinging to some rubble but was still as lights flashed over it. They slowed down shortly after and came back outside into the sunlight and she looked at her husband when she saw the loading station ahead of them. "We're not taking Eliza for a while," she commented.

"Oh no, but that was awesome," Castle said with a nod. "Did you like it?" he asked Julia and Mari.

"Yeah!" "We're going to go on it again right?" the latter and then former asked them.

"Yes," all four parents said before they started to laugh together, their daughters joining them. When they were off the train they walked back out to where Eliza was with her grandparents and friends, the girls hurrying to their sisters while the adults started to talk together.

"We're right by the Kali River Rapids," Beckett was saying. "But people get soaked on this one."

"Well… it's warmer today," Lily said, glancing at the kids. "We should be able to dry off quickly if we walk around a little."

"Are there any animals around here?" Skye said.

"There's the Maharajah Jungle Trek," Castle said. "We can walk around and see animals."

"Great, so what's the height requirement on that ride?" Mary asked.

"Thirty-eight inches," Rebecca said, looking at a map she had. "Dani's staying off."

Looking at the other parents Castle said, "Okay, so the babies, her and then our parents," as he gestured between himself and Beckett. "We should tell them."

"Tell us what?" Julia asked as she and the other kids were walking over to their parents.

"Are we going on another ride? Please say yes," Jacob said, adding the last in a rush.

After they'd laughed Brad told his son, "We are and it's a water ride and we'll be getting soaking wet."

Beckett wasn't surprised when the kids were clamoring to go and telling them they didn't mind getting wet. She went over to Josie and looked in on the baby who was sleeping. "We're going to a water ride," she told her father and mother in law. "We need to go." She took the stroller before they could and started to walk with everyone before they were heading over to the outside of the other ride when Ivy was gasping in front of her.

"Look at the monkeys!" the little girl said eagerly

"Those are gibbons," Brennan said. He smiled at the others and said, "I looked at my map."

"If you guys are doing that why don't you just make decisions now?" Castle asked joking.

"We'll come back as soon as we're finished with the ride," Beckett said quickly to Martha and Jim. "Have fun watching Dani."

"She'll be just fine," Martha said, holding the toddler as she was staring at the monkeys with wide eyes.

Beckett smiled and then took Eliza's hand before telling the little girl, "Would you like to sit next to me?"

"Yeah," the little girl replied eagerly. Eliza squeezed her mother's hand tightly before they walked onto the ride and then down to the turntable where they walked to the raft that they, Castle, Julia, Alexis and the McColloughs would be sharing. She smiled at everyone with them and when they were going away from the turntable she squealed and said, "I'm gonna get wet!"

"We all are," Castle said with a slight laugh. "Hopefully not too much since we're going to a trail after."

"What trail?" Erin asked as they were going up an incline.

"We'll see after the ride lass," Brennan said, ruffling his daughter's hair as they were sitting next to each other.

"Look at the aminals!" Eliza said happily.

"They're so cool… they look like they did on the Everest ride," Julia told her father next to her.

"We're in the same section; Asia," Castle said with a nod. He glanced to his left; as the boat had stopped that way on the incline; and said, "Here we go," since they'd reached the top.

Going off into the water Beckett looked at Eliza who was looking at the waterfall they were passing and smiled at the awe on her face before they were beginning to turn. When they began to go through rapids and she laughed when the little girl squealed at the rocking motion they were going through.

"There's Everest!" Julia cried out, pointing to the mountain they could see before they were passing a deforested area. She frowned, looking up at her father before they were finally leaving it and she started to scream as they were suddenly going down a drop and she held onto the railing in front of them. That scream turned quickly into a laugh as Castle was letting out a loud woo-hoo while Brennan replied to him before Clara jokingly began to scold them.

"You two are grown men," the woman said though she was looking over at Eliza.

"We're fine," Beckett said, smiling as her stepdaughter had touched her arm since she and the little girl had taken the rush of water when they'd reached the bottom of the drop. "And we'll dry off," she said before she looked at Eliza to make absolutely sure she was okay.

"Are we gonna do that again?" the little girl said eagerly.  
"I don't know," Castle said, laughing at her tone. He then laughed when he and Julia got a little wet at being splashed since the water was going faster. When they passed under a bridge he said, "Now we're even," seeing that Beckett was giving him a look.

"We should be able to turn the boat," Alexis commented.

"We'd have to keep-" Clara started to say before she cried out as there were two jets of water that was shooting across the rapids. She ducked with the others before they were laughing together as Castle had taken most of that water though he'd been ducking as well. "I suppose that's karma," she said with a smile.

"Most likely," Castle said, a smile on his face as they were going around a turn and then under another bridge.

Squealing as two figures of elephants squirted water at them, Eliza said, "We all got wet!"

"But you and Mom the most," Julia said with a smile as they shortly after reached the turntable. Once they had climbed out of the raft and then off the turntable she took her mother's hand and said, "I wonder who else got wet on the drop?"

"We'll find out once we're all together," Beckett said. They walked together as a group back to her father, Martha and the youngest of the kids before they were seeing the other groups joining them.

"So you, Lily, Fleur and Marie," Castle said once he could see everyone. "And last Mari… why all the kids?"  
"The water has a shorter route to go," Brad commented. He wasn't surprised when his wife socked his arm and he said, "Should we go to the trail next?"

"We should," Lily said wryly before she went with him to Sophie's stroller so they could grab it.

As the other parents were telling their kids what the trail was exactly Castle and Beckett told theirs when Alexis walked up to them.

"Do you mind if I walk with Louis?" the young woman said to her family.

"Go ahead," Beckett said first.

"She's right, have fun," Castle told her. "We'll meet together at the end." He watched her go before he was about to tell the girls they could be their scouts when the two moved quickly.

"Girls," Beckett started to say when Julia took the stroller from Castle and then hurried it over to their grandparents.

"We're walking alone," Castle commented.

"No, a little behind them because I think that's as close as they'll let us go to them," Beckett said. "But… if we get delayed…"

Castle brought her right hand up to his lips where he kissed it firmly before he told her, " _Tá tú iontach_."

Since he'd said she was amazing Beckett smiled a little before she said, "Thank you but we won't be alone."

" _Go leor anois_?" Castle said, asking if it was enough for now.

" _Níl sé riamh_ ," Beckett replied, which meant that it never was.

" _We'll be in_ DC _soon_ ," Castle commented, still speaking in Irish.

Beckett simply nodded in response to that as they were reaching the sign for the trail and she called to their family, "I want a picture of Julia and Eliza here." She had her camera out before she took one of the two and then had her father and mother in law join them for another shot. "Okay," she told everyone with a smile. "We can go."

"Are we really gonna get to see tigers?" Eliza asked almost breathlessly as she walked with her parents through the turnstiles and came out onto a path surrounded by dense foliage.

"We are, are you excited for those? I told you two all about how your mom and I-" Castle started to say.

"That doesn't mean we don't like them Dad," Julia said firmly. "And she was hungry you said, she didn't know you wouldn't hurt her and wanted to help her."

"And they won't get you now Daddy," Eliza said, holding onto his hand tightly.

"Alright," Castle replied, moving her to his shoulders. "I guess you're right and I should really just relax."

"Rick," Beckett groaned as she knew he was quoting the theme song to _Mystery Science Theater 3000_.

"Dad," Julia said. When her father looked at her she then giggled and said, "Sorry but that was cool."

"Are you outnumbered?" Jim asked his daughter as his granddaughter and son in law were bumping fists.

"No, not when I'm watching the show too," Beckett said with a smile before they came to a railing where other people were looking into what she knew was a habitat. As her husband had set Eliza down on the ground she went to her husband and said, "I don't think we're going on our own."

"No," Castle said. "Now come on, there are dragons." He smiled when his wife looked at him in confusion before they stood at the railing as well and he watched her reaction to the komodo dragon that was walking across its habitat.

Squealing Eliza said, "That's so big! And snake-y."

"Careful Lizzy," Julia told her little sister as she was flicking out her tongue next to her. "It might think you're its sister."

Eliza giggled and then took a picture before she looked at her grandmother who she was standing next to. "Do you like it Gram?"

"Well… from this distance yes," Martha said. She looked down eventually at Josie as she couldn't get as much enjoyment in the reptile as the baby's older sisters. She smiled as the baby seemed to be clutching her Tigger doll and said, "We'll be seeing these very soon darling."

"Speaking of that let's keep going," Beckett said, hearing her mother in law. They started to walk, and she wasn't surprised when that time she and her husband were on their own though they had Josie with them as the girls were talking to their grandparents eagerly. She took the opportunity to slip her arm through her husband's, holding onto the upper part of his before leaning her head on his shoulder. She bit at her lower lip for a moment before she started to speak when her husband inadvertently interrupted what was going to be a question.

" _This is because of last night_ ," Castle told his wife, speaking in Irish.

" _I know_ ," Beckett said. She then smiled and said, " _I was about to ask you if we should do something tonight_."

Thinking for a moment Castle paused, which made her do so as well, and he said, " _We shouldn't, we'll be tired and then moving on tomorrow. But tomorrow night… something_?"

Beckett couldn't help laughing at his hopeful look and she told him, " _Yes, we could be a little more_ …" wanting to mention they could make love but not sure about that.

"Yeah," Castle said slowly. He then looked at his wife and said, " _But we have the next day_."

" _You know in_ DC _it'll be the same_ ," Beckett pointed out to him.

Nodding Castle replied, " _Yes but we shouldn't be as tired as this. We can… fool around if you'd like; I'd like_." He paused when his wife shook her head, a smile playing at her lips, before he continued saying, " _But if we can I'd love to be with you in some way_."

" _We will_ ," Beckett replied, smiling at him again. She squeezed his arm and said as they were walking again, " _I asked_ Patrick _about any clubs near our hotel_."

" _We haven't been for a while_ ," Castle said, suddenly eager at the idea. " _Did he know of any_?"

" _A couple, there's one called_ Coast," Beckett said. " _He said that one would be good_."

Nodding his head Castle said, " _Let's go_."

Beckett laughed softly at how eager he was before she brushed her lips against his until she heard their middle daughter crying out to them. She turned with him, seeing Eliza was rushing up to them, calling their names eagerly.

"Mommy, Daddy," the little girl said a little breathlessly. "We found the monkeys!"

Following her, Castle and Beckett went to over to the exhibit their family were looking through acrylic windows at the primates. They could see some moving around and Beckett took a few pictures before they walked on after their family.

"Now this is just too much," Castle said exaggeratedly when he and his wife found themselves alone.

"I'm sure you expected it," Beckett told him with a smile.

"I did, so them's the breaks," Castle replied.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "We should stay with them though."

"Sure," Castle said, nodding to her. He looked down at her and then asked, " _When did you want to go to the club_?" in Irish.

" _Whenever, I don't mind what night it is_ ," Beckett replied.

" _You know what we're doing_ ," Castle told her.

" _I guess the second night_ ," Beckett said after thinking for a moment.

" _Great, I'm eager to go_ ," Castle said, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.

"Pervert," Beckett commented wryly and quietly as well before they were turning their attention to their family since they'd come to the next animal.

"Daddy," Eliza whimpered as she'd watched a large bat that was inside the habitat.

"It's alright," Castle said, picking her up. Holding her on his hip he told her, "It only eats fruit so we're safe right here."

Looking at him Eliza could tell he was being truthful, so she nodded before watching the bat hanging from a tree limb. "Where's the tigers?" she finally asked.

"We'll keep going," Beckett said in amusement. When they reached the next animals, she told the little girl with a smile, "Is this better?"

Peering over the railing Eliza gasped happily and nodded saying, "Those are cute!" before she started to take pictures.

Beckett was taking a few photos herself before she asked her husband, "What are they?"

Glancing at her quickly Castle then said, "Elds Deer." He looked at Julia who was leaning her arms on the railing and watching the deer and he asked, "Having fun?"

"Yep," the girl said, not turning away from the animals. When she felt her father's hand on her shoulder she smiled up at him and asked, "Do we need to go?"

"We do," Castle replied. "Want me to carry you?" he asked as he'd set Eliza down.

"Sure," Julia said before they smiled at one another. She took his hand then and said, "You're supposed to be with Mom right now."

Castle was about to reply before he was suddenly cut off when he heard Eliza squealing and he told Julia, "I'll be going right now," before they hurried over to the windows looking out on the next animals.

"They're so pretty," Eliza breathed out, looking at the tigers she could see in the habitat.

"Did you want a Tigger doll too?" Castle asked, standing behind her.

Shaking her head, Eliza took a moment before she was saying, "No, I want a tiger one." She then realized what she'd said, and she turned to her father saying, "Please?"

"We'll see," Beckett said, standing on the other side of her. She smiled at her husband before she heard Eliza suddenly gasp and she looked over at the window to find that a tiger was laying directly against it.

"Mommy, Mommy we hafta show Josa," the little girl whispered, tugging on her hand.

"I'll get her," Castle said quickly before he went to the stroller. When he returned to her he handed the baby to his wife before he got his phone out of his pocket as he backed away carefully from them.

Sitting down on the curb there was against the viewing window, Beckett held Josie against her chest though she knew the baby wasn't likely going to see the animal as it suddenly got up and looked at the window.

Castle was holding his breath as he filmed his wife and their daughters, smiling when Josie reached out suddenly before she cooed and then gurgled a bit. He stopped his filming as Beckett stood up and he asked, "Want me to send it to everyone?"

"Yes," she replied, not surprised he'd been filming them. "But take her first." Beckett smiled when her husband was literally rushing to take Josie and she went to the girls, putting her hand on Julia's shoulder before saying, "What do you think?"

"I think they're great," the girl said quickly. She looked up at her mother and turned a little when she saw her father past Beckett. "Do you?"

"Okay, last time," Castle said, pretending to be annoyed. "I'm not scared of tigers until they're jumping at me. And now they aren't."

Eliza giggled as her sister grinned at their father and she said, "I asked her to say."

"Now you know," Castle replied, ruffling her hair with his free hand. "So we'll get you that stuffed tiger and I'll tuck it in after your mom tucks you in at night." He smiled when Eliza nearly shrieked with laughter and glanced at his wife, seeing she was shaking her head though she was smiling. He suddenly felt the urge to kiss her but needed to hold himself back, instead going to the carrier to set Josie there before he went over to his mother. "You're not bored, are you?" he asked, sitting next to her as he reached up to the baby since he'd brought the stroller over with him.

"Oh of course not," Martha said, smiling at the baby since she was smiling herself at her father gently rubbing her cheek with his fingertips. "The girls seem to be teasing you."

"They're tickled by the story," Beckett said, standing in front of them. She smiled at her husband and said, "But they'll stop now."

"That's very nice," Castle said.

"You don't believe it?" Beckett asked him, watching her mother in law stand and take the stroller back to the window with the others.

"I may," Castle said. "But if we see another tiger…"

Beckett smiled as she knew he was joking, and she said, "We should keep going."

"I agree. Listen, I'd like to go to the dinosaur land after this one," Castle said.

"What-" Beckett began before her husband was showing her the map in his pocket. "Well… Eliza?" When he pointed to the name of another ride she laughed softly and said, "You have it all planned out."

"Should I stop doing that?" Castle asked her.

"No," Beckett said firmly, leaning over and kissing his cheek quickly. "It helps and it's adorable."

"I was going for s-" Castle began before his wife placed her hand flat on his chest.

" _I got it, but I'll tell you that later_ ," Beckett said, speaking in Irish.

"Sure," Castle said. "Let's go?"

"Yes," Beckett said in amusement before she took his hand and they went to get their daughters so they could continue their trek through the trail.

* * *

"What do you think?" Castle said.

"It looks like a lot of fun," Julia said eagerly. "What about Lizzy?"

"I'm afraid she's a little too short," Beckett said. "Would you like to go on though?"

"Yeah… is there anything she can go on besides looking at the animals?" Julia asked.

"There are, the next ride she'll join us," Beckett assured her.

"For now, would you like to head onto this one?" Castle asked.

"Mom asked me, and I said yep," Julia said.

"No you didn't," Castle replied before she was playfully pushing at him. He wrapped his arm around her as they were laughing, and they headed to the exit of Primeval Whirl with Beckett and Alexis following them.

"This is going to be so cool," Julia commented.

"It will, but I hope you won't get sick," Beckett said as they could see some of the ride where they were waiting.

"I'll be alright," Julia said, knowing her mother was thinking about the tea cup ride at the Magic Kingdom. "This doesn't look like it's spinning that fast."

"And we can't make it spin either," Alexis said.

"Good thing," Julia said seriously before she smiled at her big sister and they began to laugh together.

"Come on you guys," Beckett told the two with a smile, putting her hand on Julia's back to get her to step forward.

Getting onto the car, the girl smiled at the way it looked with it being curved before she sat on her seat and looked at the track. Julia felt a shiver of nervousness as she wasn't sure how she'd do on the roller coaster, but once their lap bars were down and they were moving she laughed.

"The best part of this is we get to go back in time," Castle commented. "Twice."

Julia giggled that time as they were going up the incline passing under arches that spoke about how far they were going back. When she saw the last arch said it was seconds before the meteor hits she was about to comment on that before they were coming to the vortex at the top and making a sharp left turn. Going straight she looked around at the view of the park they had before they were making another sharp left turn. She started to wonder if the ride was really that thrilling when they were making a right turn and then another left before she was distracted by a figurine of a dinosaur holding a sign saying _the end is near_.

Beckett looked down at her daughter as they were going through a left and right turn again before they were coming to a drop. She cried out with the other three as they swooped down before coming back up and then turning to the left. She wasn't sure why she recalled it suddenly, but she realized she and Julia had ridden a similar ride in Japan before. That thought came to her just as they were coming to the same dinosaur figurine with a meteor falling on it and they went down another drop that was far bigger than the first one.

Yelling at the force of that, Castle laughed as they went through a couple of turns before they were suddenly spinning. He wanted to check on Julia but couldn't really look over at her until they stopped spinning and went sideways on the track that time. Since they were straight for the time being he looked over at her and called, "Liked that?"

"That was so much fun!" the girl replied a second before they were going on another turn and then beginning to spin. Julia held on tightly to the lap bar as they were doing that and then stopping before they were going down a shorter drop. She cried out on that one still before they were spinning again and then going backwards through some arches that she guessed was for them to return to the present. When they came to a turn and were facing forward she cried out when they spun one final time before slowly turning to go straight to the loading platform. "I'm fine," she told her parents and sister when they got out of the car. "That was so great."

"Think you're up for another ride?" Castle asked. He laughed when the little girl nodded eagerly before he glanced at his wife who was taking their oldest's hand before their daughter was asking them about her little sister which only slightly surprised him.

"What about a ride for Lizzy now?" Julia said.

"We're going right now, come on," Castle replied. They walked quickly back to where his mother and Jim were with the youngest and he said as soon as they were close enough, "How was your ride."

"Fun," Eliza said with a smile. "Dani was driving."

"We're nearly at lunch," Brennan said as all the families were back together by then. "Should we head over there now?"

"We have time," Castle reminded him as the adults all knew they had reservations. "For one more ride at least, Dinosaur."

"Isn't that the one that's screaming?" Jacob commented as they started to walk down after they'd said goodbye to Martha and Jim who were remaining with Dani and the babies.

"All in caps," Castle corrected him. "So it's yelling, not screaming." Watching the boy nod and rush over to his parents he looked at his wife and said, "What do you think?"

"About what?" Beckett said in amusement.

"Telling them about lunch? We should though you realize they're going to want to know about dinner," Castle said in a rush.

"They'll know soon enough," Beckett replied with a smirk as all the husbands had let her and the other women choose. "Though you should know we let Alexis pick in the end."

"Isn't that cheating?" Castle asked. When his wife looked at him in confusion he said, "She's one of the kids," before he was jumping as someone playfully rapped the back of his head and he turned to see who it was.

"I'm not a kid, Dad," Alexis replied before she smiled. "And you'll enjoy dinner. He's hungry," she said, directing the last to her stepmother.

"I am too but I would like to go on this… ride," Beckett started to say before she saw Skye was walking up to them.

"Mind if we ride with you? With all seven of us able to go we'd like to join your five," the investigator said.

"Sure," Castle said quickly. "Who's in front?"

"The four oldest," Beckett told her husband. "And the four of us adults will be in the back." She then looked at her friend and said, "If that works out."

"It does," Skye said. "They'll enjoy going with your daughters." She paused and then said, "But Alexis is going with you?"

"I'm putting my foot down for this ride," Castle said while they were going through the exit of the ride.

"You better tell her that yourself," Beckett said with a smile on her face.

"He doesn't need to, I heard you guys and Louis' going with his family," Alexis herself said with a smile as she walked over to them.

"Great, we're ready," Castle said, clapping his hands together. After they were at the loading platform he waited with his family and the McDouglases before they were directed onto the car in front of them. He wasn't surprised when the kids changed the order they'd talked about, Eliza sitting in what was essentially the driver's seat before he and her sisters joined her. He sat with them while Mary sat with Fleur and the younger McDouglas twins and his wife sat with Skye and the older twins in the last row. "Now we're ready," he said after their seatbelt check, clapping his hands before his daughter next to him stopped him just as their car started to move down the track.

As they turned around a corner and came to a hall with an incline in it Skye leaned over to Beckett and murmured, "Looks familiar."

"I was going to say," she replied swiftly. "Indiana Jones?" Beckett then asked. When her friend merely nodded as a siren started to blare she smiled and looked ahead at her daughters, wondering how Eliza was doing.

"Are we gonna see them now?" the little girl was asking her big sister.

"Yeah," Julia said with a rapid nod as they were going up the incline with flashing lights and lights that made her think of a toaster oven. But ahead of them she saw there was a field of stars and then laughed as she realized the car felt like it was rocking back and forth.

After the sequence Castle called, "There's your dinosaur Eliza," as they were passing what appeared to be a triceratops though he could tell it was different by all the horns on its head.

Squealing in joy, as the dinosaur was actually moving and not stationary as she thought it would be, the little girl watched it until they were coming to another and her eyes went wide. Seeing the large dinosaur trying to eat a smaller one she whimpered until they were passing it. She smiled at the sight of one towards the back of the display and then cried out when a meaner looking one was to her left. "He's gonna eat me," she told her sister.

Crying out as the car started to go faster, Julia couldn't reply to what her sister had said. She had to wonder if she was alright going through the dark but since they had some light; and some lightning at one point; she wasn't surprised when Eliza's cries were out of exhilaration as her own were. But they stopped at a large dinosaur and she wasn't surprised when her little sister screamed at the sight of it. "Look at its arms," she said loudly in her ear. When her sister laughed she was relieved and was even more so when the car moved away from it and they were speeding down the track once more.

Laughing as she could hear Eliza giving little yelps when the car was moving around, Beckett saw another dinosaur up ahead. But since it looked like a brontosaurus she wasn't surprised the little girl was squealing heavily in delight.

"See the fireflies?" Julia asked her little sister while they were passing the dinosaur.

"Yeah," was all that Eliza had time to say as they were speeding into the dark again. She gasped when she saw the flying dinosaurs and something shoot by them to their left. A pterodactyl flew above them, and she screamed at the sight of it before she saw dinosaurs leaping ahead of them. When they followed them she nearly started to giggle before she felt they were going down a hill before she was screaming when another large dinosaur appeared in flashing lights in front of them. But they soon turned to the right and they were going back and forth in the dark which made her squeeze her eyes shut tightly.

When they came into some light Castle looked over at Eliza when another scream left her mouth at the big dinosaur above them and he called to her, "The car will get us out Eliza."

Relieved when the car did move away from the dinosaur, Eliza gasped as trees were starting to fall before she smiled at a friendlier looking one that was holding up a tree trunk above. But a second later the dinosaur with horns coming out of the side of its head was lunging at them and she screamed before they were descending and then going back into the stars and green light. She realized when the red lights came on that they were supposed to be going back in time and she breathed out in relief before she felt a hand on her shoulder to her right.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked, having had Alexis place her hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly. "That was scary."

"It was, but we had a really good car," Julia said with a beaming smile at her. When her little sister giggled and nodded she followed her off the car before she watched her run to their mother.

"Mommy I got scared but there were good dinosaurs too," Eliza said rapidly to her mother as Beckett picked her up.

"I noticed," she told her daughter, kissing her cheek. They left the ride and she wasn't surprised when Julia and the McDouglas girls hurried to the other kids and they were all talking together excitedly about the ride. Beckett looked at her husband and told him, "Now we can go."

"Perfect," Castle said, reaching to take her hand as they made their way back to their parents, so they could head to Africa for lunch.

* * *

"There they are," Beckett said with a smile as she looked at the girls.

"Who?" Julia asked, looking up from the samosa she'd been biting into.

"It's Goofy!" Eliza squealed. "Can I take a picture?"

"Yes, but wait for them to come here," Beckett said as the little girls' eyes widened when she saw Mickey and Donald Duck walking around the tables as well. "Keep eating."

"Or else Dad will take your corn dogs," Julia said with a smile before her sister whirled around to see him pretending to reach with his fork and she was soon talking to him sternly to their amusement.

"No Daddy, those are on my plate," Eliza said. She then leaned over a little and whispered, "Mommy will get mad."

"Then I better leave them there," Castle said, doing his absolute best not to start laughing at her tone and the expression on her face. "But they were very good."

Nodding her head Eliza looked over to where she'd last seen some of the characters and she smiled seeing Donald Duck was making his way over to them. She got off her chair and stepped up to the character telling him, "You're my daddy's favorite character, can we take a picture with you?" She giggled when Donald Duck nodded rapidly, and she turned to her father before she saw he was right behind her.

Castle stood with three of his daughters; as Alexis had joined them at his beckoning gesture; and he said a thank you with the girls as the character left. When Goofy came over next he let the three take a picture with him together while he stood next to Beckett. He didn't have a chance to speak though as Mickey, Minnie and Daisy Duck walked over to them and the girls took pictures with them as well. Once they were all sitting again he said with a smile, "You guys decided to take pictures now?"

"Yeah," Julia said. "Because they're dressed like explorers, it's cool."

Beckett smiled as her husband nodded, appearing to think that over, and she said, "Keep eating love."

"Sure," Castle replied.

After they'd eaten their entrees and some fruit, Eliza asked, "Do we get to get desserts?"

"I was waiting for that," Beckett said with a smile. "And yes, but we'll share like yesterday." She waited for some protest but when then girls immediately got up she followed them as did her husband. They went together to the desserts though Castle was the only one holding a plate. She directed him in what to get and when they had everything they headed back to the table before she was the one to split the desserts into four tiny pieces each before they started to eat. She squeezed her husband's hand as they watched their daughters talking eagerly about the rest of the park they had to see, hoping they would enjoy their after lunch 'ride' before they joined them in their conversation.


	16. Wild Life (Part 2)

Holding Josie above him Castle said, "Your mom is coming back really soon." He brought the baby down to him so he could nuzzle her nose with his own briefly and then added, "But she'll be happy to see you awake." He smiled when she made a gurgling noise and told her, "Like you'll be." He then cradled her and asked, "So how are you enjoying the animals?"

"Oo-aa," Josie said before moving in her father's arms before she settled.

"I see-" Castle began before he heard familiar, soft laughter in front of him. "Hey, Josie was just telling me what she thought of the animals she's seen."

"I heard," Beckett said with a smile at him. She went to sit next to him on the bench and she said, "Are you sure you don't want to go on the safari?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "I wanted to spend time with Josie on our own and it worked out the best this way." He was slightly surprised when she kissed him, more so because they weren't really in a secluded area and she was a little passionate. When they parted he said, "So you're attracted to me when I'm a father right?" As she breathed out a sigh he smiled and said at the same time as her, "Twelve year old."

"I do like seeing you this way," Beckett told him with a smile as she took his hand to entwine their fingers. She couldn't do that for very long and when she let go told him, " _But I do love you_ ," speaking in Irish.

" _I love you_ Kate," Castle said seriously, looking into her eyes. He wanted to kiss her, but he jumped slightly when he heard their daughters calling to them and looked over at the two as they jogged up to them with wide smiles on their faces before they began to talk together.

"We saw so many animals-"

"And they were looking at us!"

"The giraffes were really close-"

"And we saw baby elephants!"

"Just one, but it was really cute and the guide said it was just learning to walk."

"And then there was a cheetah and it was running so fast!"

"We were all safe the guide said, so you don't have to worry. And then we saw ostriches, lions, zebras-"

"Okie-pokies."

Beckett smiled as the girls giggled together at Eliza's deliberate mistake and she said, "Okapis?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. She then said, "Are you gonna go?"

"We may later," Castle said when his wife looked at him. "But for now-"

"We asked one of the cast members," Martha interrupted her son. "And you could bring along Josie."

"Let us think about that," Beckett told the girls as they looked to her excitedly.

"Oh no, I agree," Castle said with a smile when his wife then turned to him. "Are we ready? I don't know where we're going next."

"Pa'dora!" Eliza exclaimed.

Laughing Castle handed Josie to Beckett before he was picking Eliza up, tossing her above him a little. "I hope it's time to go," he said before he kissed her cheek.

"We can go, it's been more than long enough," Beckett said, smiling as both her husband and their middle daughter were looking at her hopefully. "But we start with the slower ride first."

"Oh… Eliza the other ride you're-" Castle started to say.

"Too small?" the little girl asked. When her father nodded Eliza said, "That's kay, I get to go on this one. What is it?"

Beckett laughed with her husband and told their daughter, "Don't worry, we can see what it's like now."

"What about Josa?" Julia asked, holding her mother's hand while they were walking out of the Africa section.

"She'll be with me," Martha said.

Gasping Eliza said, "Are you gonna go Grandpapa?"

"I'd like to see what the ride is like too," Jim told them with a nod.

"Who do you want to sit with?" Julia asked interestedly.

"Girls who do you want to go with?" Castle asked before they were pointing immediately to their mother. "Okay, Jim?"  
"That's fine with me," Beckett's father said before they were stepping into the land themed to the movie.

"Oh wow," Julia said, looking all around. "It looks like the movie."

"Better take pictures girls," Jim told his granddaughters as his daughter was taking pictures of the two in their awe.

After a while they made it to the ride and went to the loading platform where they saw the boats held at least four to a row.

"Go," Jim said. "I'll sit-"

"We'll go with you Jim," Alexis told her step-grandfather as she and Louis hurried up to them. When they were sitting in their small boat she smiled when Eliza turned to look back at them and she was about to tell her to face forward when her little sister spoke.

"Call him Grandpapa," the little girl told her.

"Sweetie sit down, or they'll make you get off the ride," Beckett told her. She smiled when Eliza pretended to pout as the boat was leaving where they'd gotten on and moving over a chain until they were floating in the water. Passing a waterfall and some mushrooms that were bioluminescent she looked at Julia and said, "It's still very interesting."

"Yep," the girl said, nodding rapidly. Julia looked around at the cave they were floating through and then said, "You don't think Dad will get bored?"

Looking at Castle as he was pointing while talking to Eliza, Beckett smiled and told her oldest, "Don't worry, he'll have a lot of fun."

Julia nodded and then gasped as they were passing one of the natives of the planet from the movie. When her mother tapped her am she looked forward and was gasping once more as they were coming to foliage and fauna from the movie as well. She smiled at Beckett and then wrapped her arms around her tightly saying, "Thank you for letting us come."

"You're welcome," Beckett said, laughing softly before she quickly kissed the top of her head. She then looked to their left and the screen there showing some blue animals from the movie, and felt Julia squeeze her before pointing above them and the things floating there.

"This is really cool," the girl whispered.

"It is," Castle said. He was worried, when they continued through more foliage, plants and animals, that the girls would get bored. He saw that Julia was slightly as time went on but Eliza next to him was staring around in awe too. Eventually they came to one of the Na'vi and he pointed the figure out to the little girl.

Smiling at the way the female character looked so real, Eliza leaned against her father before they were coming into another cave environment. She kept smiling at the sight of everything glowing before she saw they were nearing where they had gotten onto the boat. "Is that all?" she asked her father.

"It is, but it was fun," Castle said.

"It was pretty," Julia said as she couldn't help but feel a little bored at the ride not really having any story.

"Come on," Beckett said as the boat stopped and they got out.

"Now we can go on the other ride," Alexis commented.

"Can I walk around with Dani?" Eliza asked then.

"Ask her parents," Beckett said.

"And one of your grandparents needs to go with you," Castle added.

Seeing her mother was nodding, Eliza said, "Kay," eagerly as she wanted to look around.

"We want to leave Fleur, Ivy and Iris with you," Skye said as they were all gathered together at a bench. "Just to try out the ride first."

"That's alright," Martha said. "Eliza will be happy to have them with us for now."

"Have fun," Fleur said to her mother and sisters.

Taking Julia's hand Castle walked with her over to the ride and he said, "I'm hoping that this ride will be better than the last one."

"Dad, the ride wasn't bad," Julia said. "It was just a slower one; good for Lizzy to go."

"True," Castle said with a smile. "But this one will hopefully be a good one for you."

"Yeah," Julia said. "But more important for you, since you love this movie."

"Uh-uh," Castle said quickly. "That would be _Star Wars_ , this one is a fun ride… like this ride."

Laughing Julia looked over at her mother and saw she was shaking her head before she took her hand as well. She was going to ask if they would be finished with the park after that ride when Alexis behind them was suggesting something to their parents before she could begin talking.

"You know after this you can go on that safari," Alexis commented.

"We were thinking of doing that," Beckett said.

"Just us though; you girls don't need to go again," Castle said to Julia.

Shaking her head Julia said, "We want to go with you. Will you take Josa?"

"Sure," Castle said, looking at his wife. "She's alright with her nap, diaper and nursing," he pointed out to her.

Considering that for a moment Beckett finally nodded and said, "Alright but-"

"We don't care, we love getting to see it again," Julia replied.

Beckett smiled and nodded as they were being let onto the ride and she glanced at what would be their chairs before they went to the last of the rooms they walked through and they were getting onto the seats. "Feels like we're going to spin class," she told her husband jokingly.

"It does," Castle said with a smile. A moment later they were instructed to put on their glasses and to lean over to hold onto the handles on the front. As the movie began with flashing lights he couldn't help but whistle, smiling again when he heard his wife and their daughters laughing in response before those flashing lights were moving and in a blur. He glanced at Julia to see her reaction, glad to see the awe on her face already before he looked back to the screen and the streaks of light before they were moving through a tunnel and the scene changed completely.

Julia gasped as they were suddenly on Pandora and she laughed as the Davises riding with them were exclaiming as well. She glanced towards her left before looking at the Na'vi that was on a Banshee, speaking to them. She cried out a little when their seats tilted forward, and they were diving after the Na'vi who'd left. When they leveled off she was amazed at smelling as if she were around trees with some breeze in her face. The way the seat was moving under her she realized it was supposed to be her own Banshee breathing and she laughed as she hoped her mother was enjoying the ride too.

When they'd dipped again Beckett laughed and called to her husband, "Star Tours," as they were going in between trees and above a river where some animals ran away. Banking to the left she breathed out at the sight of the waterfalls in front of them along with what she guessed were other Banshee flying around. When they banked for a while to the right she had to laugh again as her husband was groaning in mock strain before they straightened out and came down to the forest floor.

Castle let out a whoop before animals scattered and they went under a trunk before they were high up above the ground again. Flying between trees he was laughing as Julia in between him and Beckett was crying out in joy and he was relieved she was enjoying that ride. As they tilted to the side they came out onto a beach and he could see Na'vi on the sand along with boats. He only had a moment to see them before they were flying over the water with animals leaping out and birds flying above it. They went over some rocks where there were some Na'vi standing and he called out a, "Hey!" before his daughter was laughing loudly.

Julia laughed with her big sister but then cried out in surprise when she saw there was a large wave ahead of them. That cry then became a short scream as a huge, whale looking creature leapt out in front of them and she laughed nervously at her momentary fear. When they turned and she saw they were under the curl of the wave she was crying out, that time in joy as it felt as if they were surfing. She had a brief thought for Skye and Mary, but they were soon out of the wave and flying by some huge rocks before flying up through some. She was startled when they stopped for a moment, but she was surprised again when an orange and yellow creature descended to them and they fell a bit before they were flying lower. When she saw ahead of them either the same creature or a different one with the same colors she laughed as it wasn't leaving them alone and she cried out as it came to them again and she felt like she was falling as her father next to her was letting out a mock groan of fear.

Going through the rest of the ride Beckett was surprised at how long it felt like it lasted and when they returned to 'normal' she wasn't surprised when her husband groaned, that time in disappointment. "I guess you enjoyed it?" she asked him once they were off the seats.

"Of course," Castle said simply before he looked at their daughter.

Smiling at them both Julia said, "That was awesome. But can I tell Lizzy now about the safari?"

"Go ahead," Beckett replied while they were walking through the exit since Jim and Martha were sitting very near where they would step outside.

"There's your sister," Martha said with a smile when she spotted Julia.

"How was the ride?" Eliza asked, walking over hurriedly to her.

"Cool, but guess what? Mom and Dad want to take Josa on the safari," Julia told her.

"Cool!" Eliza crowed. She then frowned and asked, "Can we go too?"

"Duh," Julia said, smiling so her sister's feelings wouldn't be hurt. "And we went on all the rides already so…"

"You know the safari is a little long," Brennan commented.

"We know," Beckett said, smiling at him. "But like Julia just said we've been on all the rides at least once."

"So should we split up?" David asked.

"We can," Castle said. "Since we have kids different ages. But we'll meet for dinner."

"We'll tell you guys where to go," Lily said with a wry grin. "At five?"

"At five, we have something later tonight for everyone," Beckett said as the other women were looking at her. "And guys we're not in charge of this trip."

"You basically are," Brad said jokingly before they were saying goodbye to each other and then leaving the Castle family to go around the park.

"What're you guys going to do?" Beckett asked as Alexis had left with Louis so they could go on their own on rides.

"I think try out the rides we didn't go on," Jim said, looking at Castle's mother.

"Yes, we need to see what our granddaughters are enjoying so much," Martha said with a smile. When she and Jim promised to meet them after the safari at the flamingoes, she said as they watched their children and grandchildren leaving, "They'll have fun."

"Of course," Jim said before they turned to go on the ride they were at already to see why everyone coming off it seemed to have enjoyed themselves so much.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Castle asked his wife.

"I am," Beckett said with a smile. "Let's go before we have to wait for the next… jeep." They were getting ready to get on the car for the Kilimanjaro Safari and she had decided to take Josie in the sling she had brought to keep her comfortable as the girls had told them that it was a little bumpy.

"Julia go behind your mom and-" Castle said as they were about to get onto the car.

"Rick I'll be fine," Beckett said firmly, slightly annoyed. "Just get on the car."

With a quick nod, Castle had Eliza step onto the car first before he followed but he still turned to watch as Beckett walked onto their row with Julia behind her. Once they were settled he looked at Josie, who his wife had set looking to her left so he was able to check on her. "You're going to have a lot of fun," he said to the baby as the car was starting. "Though you won't be able to see." He waited for their 'guide' to talk before he then said softly to his wife, " _Is breá liom grá_ ," telling her that he was sorry.

Beckett smiled, as he'd added the word love at the end, and she gently squeezed his hand that was cupping the back of Josie's head through the sling. " _Ní cuimhin liom_ ," she said then, telling him she didn't mind. When he looked at her in surprise she smiled and then added, " _Ach ná téigh thar bord_ ," which meant but don't go overboard.

"Especially here," Castle said before they were coming up to a habitat.

"Wait, Eliza you-" Beckett started to say when she realized it was on their right.

"I saw Mommy, it's kay," Eliza said quickly as she knew the guide was going to talk. Once the man had stopped she pointed and said, "There's the okie-pokies," giggling as her family laughed. She leaned against her father when he wrapped his arm around her tightly and they watched the animal reaching for some leaves above it with its tongue.

Going around to the next habitat Julia smiled while she watched her parents peer into it after the guide said there were white rhinoceros in there. "It's c-" she started to say before she cut herself off.

"It's looking at you," Castle told Eliza as the rhino standing at the water was looking at the bus.

Giggling softly the little girl couldn't help waving at the animal, not realizing her mother got a picture of that before they were continuing. When they started going over some bumpy parts she, Julia and Castle were all immediately looking at Josie to see if she was alright after that.

"She's fine, keep watching the animals," Beckett told them with a smile. She looked out at both sides as they were passing habitats with hippos in the water, taking a quick picture on either side. She wasn't surprised when the girls were watching the latter closely before they were going by and she looked down at the baby to check on her. Seeing Josie was asleep she told her husband, "Should I wake her up?"

Glancing at the baby as well as he had seen the crocodiles in the next habitat, Castle said, "I guess not, at least it's soothing to her."

Beckett laughed briefly before squeezing his hand while they were driving down the trail, coming to a wide-open area. She smiled at her husband before they were looking to their two oldest, waiting to see what they would see next. She smiled when Julia was soon pointing to their right saying, "I see them," while she took pictures of some gazelles.

"They're so cute Daddy," Eliza was saying to Castle.

"I know," he replied, squeezing her to him. He wasn't surprised when she gasped as they were coming to some giraffe walking around before the car was stopping.

Julia was quiet as she watched a giraffe walking towards them and then bend its neck down slightly before it loped away. She smiled and breathed to her mother, "That was cool."

"It was, I took pictures," Beckett said, continuing to do so as they were passing more of them as well as some wildebeests. She felt Castle tap her shoulder and looking to the left said, "Look at the hyenas," as there were a pack there.

"I miss the doggies," Eliza told her father.

"We'll be seeing them soon," Castle assured her, squeezing her back. They continued, seeing a few more giraffes walking through the trees, before they soon saw cattle with huge antlers. "Now they can't go on rides," he said, smiling when the girls giggled.

"What's she doing?" Julia asked as they were driving through the outback and couldn't see any animals.

"Sleeping," Beckett replied. "Keep sitting," she told her oldest as she was trying to stand up.

"Mommy, Daddy, look!" Eliza whispered eagerly, trying not to yell as she pointed out to where there were elephants. She gave a muffled squeal as the guide was talking and said, "See the baby?" when he'd finished.

"We see," Beckett replied, taking pictures of the slightly gangly little elephant walking around. She couldn't help hugging Julia when one of the larger elephants held the trunk of the baby before she took another picture of that. The car was still for a while watching until they began to drive again, going down the path before they stopped at some baboons she could see up a short hill, feeling Julia grabbing her arm.

"They were running around the trees last time," the girl said. "It was funny 'cause Lizzy screamed when one screamed."

"Were you scared?" Castle asked the little girl as she looked a little abashed next to him.

"No but I didn't know they sounded like that," Eliza said, smiling when her father hugged her and kissed her temple. They were moving again, and she waited eagerly for the next animal, pointing to the flamingoes they eventually reached. "Aren't they pretty," she sighed.

"I don't think you can have one as a pet sweetheart," Castle said, ruffling her hair after he took off her Mickey headband.

Giggling Eliza hugged her father tightly before she turned her attention back outside as they were moving once more. She then realized what animal they were going to see, and she clutched at her father's arm tightly, shaking it eagerly as she didn't want to speak too loudly for the animals or her little sister.

"I'm glad she's not doing that to me," Beckett said in amusement as she and Julia were watching them.

"But she does get her point across," Castle said, nodding to the next habitat.

Seeing the cheetahs Beckett took numerous pictures as two of them were walking around though they never looked at the vehicle. And though she knew they were a safe distance from them she was glad they never did before they were moving again. The vehicle stopped when they reached an animal she guessed was a type of antelope. They stayed there watching it for some time before they were moving once more.

"That was cool," Castle said, smiling at his wife. "I thought they'd get angry, charge the car."

"It's kinda big Dad," Julia said, smiling at him. "I don't think it's gonna do that." She looked over to the side then and told them, "Look!"

Turning her head quickly, Beckett saw the pack of lions that were there, and she took pictures before she noticed that the male lion was walking along the side of the habitat above them before lowering its head to what she guessed was water. When they were passing the wild cats, she looked at her daughters, smiling as they continued to watch the lion walking around until they moved on. Seeing the warthogs and more gazelle type animals she had to admit it had been a great idea to come back to the ride with their daughters. And as they were nearing the end of it she squeezed her husband's arm before he was doing so back to her, knowing with that they would be continuing to go on the rides again with their daughters as the afternoon wore on.

* * *

Crying out in pleasure as they were going around on their side, Julia held her arms up until they were straightening up and coming to the end of the ride. She applauded with the others on the train and then said to her mother, "Is that it?"

"You want to go on it again?" Beckett asked since she'd ridden with her.

"Yeah," Julia admitted. "But it's time for dinner isn't it?"

"It is," Castle said behind them, sitting with Jim. "But we'll have time afterwards."

Though she wanted to ask about where they were going for dinner and the show they were going to see later, Julia nodded and climbed out of the train before she took her mother's hand. She couldn't help saying, "Now Dad doesn't have to worry about where we're going."

"I was thinking the same thing," Castle commented behind them. "It's been driving me crazy; but I think that's what your mom and the others wanted to do."

"We may have taken that into consideration," Beckett said with a smile over her shoulder at him. They walked out of the Everest ride and then to their parents, Eliza and Josie where she said, "The restaurant isn't too far from here."

"Wonderful," Martha said. "Eliza's let us know that she's starving."

"Perfect," Castle said before he took her up onto his shoulders. "I am too."

"Come on," Beckett said with a smile, knowing that was a hint to her. She walked down the path away from the ride until she spotted the rest of their group in front of a building and she waved with her free hand since she was holding Julia's.

"Brad's eager," Lily said as soon as they were all together.

"Everyone's eager," the chief said wryly. "But we'll talk about what we did before this inside."

Beckett led the way, as she'd made reservations the day before, and once they were at their seats she smiled at her husband and said, "I swear Alexis picked this."

"I believe you," Castle said as he'd quickly discerned the cuisine was Asian at the _Yak and Yeti Restaurant_. "I mean we are in the Asia section."

Nodding Beckett looked at the menu quickly before she turned her attention to Eliza to make sure she knew what there was on the children's menu. After they had ordered their drinks she felt her husband briefly touch her shoulder and she turned to him, having a feeling about what he wanted before he vocalized it a moment later.

"We should get an appetizer," Castle said. He was a little surprised when she smiled and said, "You knew?"

"I had a feeling," Beckett replied. She glanced at their daughters who were watching them and said, "We can get the pot stickers, I just hope you two will be hungry for dinner."

"We will," the girls said at the same time.

Beckett was going to reply when she heard Josie beginning to fuss next to her and she stood to get the baby out of the carrier. Since she'd nursed her before they'd ridden the Everest ride and she had on a clean diaper she knew Josie was fine and she held her to her shoulder, gently rubbing her back.

"How're you gonna eat Mommy?" Eliza asked as they were watching her.

"She'll be fine once the food gets here," Beckett assured them. The cast member was coming back to them and they ordered their food before she stood up again.

"I guess she wasn't that bothered," Castle commented with a smile as he was watching her put Josie back into her carrier.

"Just unsettled," Beckett said, smiling at him briefly before she buckled the straps around the baby. Leaning over she gently kissed Josie's forehead and then sat back down again as Julia was asking them a question.

"This was the last park, what're we doing tomorrow?" the girl said.

"We're heading to Universal," Castle said, glancing at Skye and Mary at the table to his and Beckett's right.

"They're listening," the former said in amusement.

"How will we get there?" Ivy asked.

"It's only twenty minutes north," Castle said. "And luckily the hotel does pick up here… the hotel at Universal I mean."

"Oh, I can't wait to see our hotel," Marie said eagerly.

Beckett smiled as Julia and Eliza talked with the McDouglas girls eagerly about that before their appetizer was served. She let them continue until she had served them a pot sticker each on the little plates they had, getting their attention so they would eat.

"The dipping sauce isn't bad," Castle said, trying it first. "But you two should just eat the pot sticker by itself."

"I think they decided that already," Beckett said in amusement when they looked at their daughters to find they were already one bite into the appetizer. Since they had enough they shared the remaining pot stickers with her father and Martha before they were waiting for dinner to be served.

"What are we gonna do after?" Eliza asked.

"The slower rides," Beckett said. "Also we can look at the animals."

"But we did already… does that mean we're gonna go on the safari?" Julia started to ask before she gasped at the realization.

"All of us," Castle said. "Since Brad and Lily want to take Sophie on the ride too. We'll walk over there and go on the safari and then go on the slower rides."

"Pandora?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Yes," Castle said simply. "After that we might head back to the dinosaur section and do the non-ride stuff-"

Eliza was nearly bursting to speak but her father had been interrupted by their food arriving and she had to wait until her pork egg roll was cut up by her mother to talk. "Can we go on the flying dinosaurs?" she said earnestly.

"Yes," Beckett said before her husband finished sipping his drink. "But that's going to be later."

"I don't care," Eliza said eagerly before she ate her first piece of her egg roll. She was going to take another before her sister grabbed her arm gently and she looked up at her in surprise.

"Eat your veggies Eliza," Castle told the little girl with a smile.

"And your rice," Beckett added, smiling as well.

Nodding, Eliza turned her attention to her other food and ate while she was listening to her family's conversation.

"It doesn't take us that long to go to Universal," Julia said. "And are there things to do at the hotel?"

"There's a pool and an arcade," Beckett said.

"At Hogwarts?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"Yes, as well as restaurants but we're going to go somewhere after," Castle commented.

"Can we kn-" Julia started to say before Kathleen at the table next to them was suddenly exclaiming.

"Citywalk! There has to be a Citywalk if it's Universal," the girl said eagerly.

"There is," Skye said. "And you guys are heading to the movies."

"Lucky," Julia said with a smile as the McDouglas girls looked at each other eagerly.

"Julia, all the kids are going," Beckett told her.

"Oh… just us kids? All by ourselves?" Julia then asked.

"Smart aleck," Beckett said teasingly as she knew she was joking. "And no," she then said seriously. "You guys are going with your grandparents, but you need to help them."

"The babies?" Eliza then asked.

"They're going with me and Louis," Alexis said before Martha was touching her arm as they were sitting next to each other.

"We're going to switch," Castle's mother replied to her granddaughter's questioning expression. "We'll spend the evening with the babies, if you don't mind going with the children to the movie."

"No," Alexis said. She then looked around for her boyfriend before she said, "I'll ask Louis but I'm sure he won't mind either."

"Is that alright with you guys?" Castle asked. He smiled when the girls both nodded rapidly before he asked his wife, "Should I tell them now?"

"Go ahead," Beckett said with a smile.

"Eliza, you get to stay up tonight," Castle said, turning immediately to their middle daughter.

"I do?" the little girl said in shock. "How come?"

"We're going to watch the show here at the park, Rivers of Light, and we want you to see it too," Beckett commented. "And it's at nine-fifteen."

"Oh… that's late," Eliza breathed out. She smiled and said, "Can we get dessert for the show?"

"I was thinking some popcorn," Castle said. "Is that better?" He couldn't help laughing at the way Eliza nodded rapidly and he said, "Great, we'll get that."

"That's more like a snack though," Julia couldn't help saying.

"We're going to eat dessert right after this," Beckett said, looking at her husband as he'd gotten the idea.

"How'd you like a Mickey cinnamon bun to share?" Castle asked their daughters.

"I do!" Eliza said happily, raising her hand.

"We'll get one, but we need to have some fruit first," Beckett said. She couldn't help laughing as the girls were nodding their heads at the same time before she urged them to return to their meals. Since the plates weren't large portions they were finishing shortly after and then leaving the restaurant after they'd all taken some pictures of the décor of the interior. She took Eliza's hand as they started to walk to where the fruit stand was on the way to the safari ride.

"What would you guys like?" Castle asked them when they'd reached the fruit stall.

"Watermelon," Julia said eagerly as she saw that was available.

Seeing Beckett was smiling and Eliza was nodding her head, Castle took one of the bowls for it before he paid, and they sat together on a bench. "Are you sure you didn't want anything?" he asked Jim and Martha.

"We're sure, we had a very filling lunch," the latter said, cradling Josie as she had taken her to change her diaper. Martha smiled when her daughter in law peered down at the baby and she assured her saying, "She's fine."

"Thank you for taking her," Beckett replied before she leaned over and pressed her lips to the top of Josie's head. She then went back to Castle and the girls, taking the fork he was holding with a piece of watermelon on it out to her. When she'd sat down she kissed his cheek before she thanked him.

"I'm gonna be sad to stop wearing these hats," Julia said as she reached up and touched the feather on the top of hers.

"But now we can wear our robes!" Eliza said before her father was wiping the watermelon juice off her chin.

"Yeah," Julia said after she'd giggled at her little sister, looking at their parents as she spoke and waiting for a reaction from them.

"We'll wear our robes," Beckett said in mock annoyance before she was smiling.

Hearing the whistle of a train Eliza said, "Can we go on that train?"

Pausing for a moment, Castle then said, "You know we can do that before dessert."

"It'd be better if we walked," Beckett said gently. "Not for too long so let's go ahead and walk back to Asia and then-"

"Back here?" Eliza finished for her mother. When Beckett nodded she said, "That's a good idea."

Castle laughed with the others at how serious the little girl was before he said, "We should start walking."  
"We have a lot of time love," Beckett said, checking her watch.

"Still, I want to go on the rides again," Castle said, speaking in an eager tone of voice for the girls.

With a smile on her face as Julia and Eliza were giggling at him, Beckett took Josie's stroller and started to push it as they joined their friends and family in walking around the park until they would head back to the safari for an evening ride.

* * *

"Here's our popcorn," Castle said to his wife as she looked over at him when he approached them. "How's Eliza doing?"

"She's awake," Beckett replied with a smile, taking the bucket of popcorn. "Dad," she said, handing it over to him.

"Here," Castle said, handing out an empty soda cup. "They gave these to me when I explained we were sharing this."

"For that much popcorn I would hope so," Martha said as she took a cup herself. "I hope they'll enjoy this," she told her son.

"You will too Mother," Castle said, knowing she wasn't sure about the show they were about to watch.

"It's starting!" Julia said eagerly as the lights were dimming and she hurried over to her family to sit with them. She took the cup full of popcorn her mother handed her and looked out to the water in front of them as there were lit lotus flowers on the surface.

Beckett smiled as Eliza, on her lap and sharing her cup of popcorn with her, made an ooh sound at the flowers before she was gasping. "I see it," she said quickly when her daughter was asking her if she could see the boat that was moving on the water. She quieted her down before the lotus flowers lit up brightly and the boat was getting closer. Luckily what she assumed was the narrator was speaking and she bent her head down to see how the little girl was reacting to the woman speaking about water and light uniting.

Looking at Eliza as well, Castle smiled at the awe on her face before he looked at the water as two cannons of it were shooting over the surface to each other, lit in blue on one side and yellow on the other. He smiled as Julia and Eliza were both gasping as shadows of animals were projected on the sheet of water below the cannons. He wrapped his arm around his wife, settling in to see how exactly the show would continue.

Trying to remember her camera, Julia just managed to get a picture of the water as it turned green before the cannons stopped and the two boats began to move. She couldn't help giggling as Eliza was squealing in joy at the lit animals that were floating out on platforms. She took several pictures of them individually before she took one of them all together. She couldn't help bouncing to the music that was playing, eating some popcorn as she watched the animals floating around.

"See the tiger Daddy?" Eliza asked as one of the two near them was that animal.

"I know, just watch the show," Castle told her quickly. He wasn't surprised when she reached for him and he pulled her onto his lap while the animals and lotus were floating around and changing color in time with the music playing. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head as she didn't stop watching while water began to shoot up from the middle of the lotus flowers.

Thinking of Josie then, and not sure why she had forgotten the baby, Beckett leaned over slightly to look past Julia where her father was holding her. She reached around her oldest to touch his shoulder and when he looked at her she smiled when he gave her a brief nod. She wanted to take Josie but turned back to the water as she knew the baby was still asleep. She also couldn't ignore that her daughter was gripping her arm tightly when she looked back in time to see there was another projection over water.

Smiling up at her mother, Julia kept that brief as she didn't want to miss anything from the show as water was shooting out of the lotus again. She took a few pictures but found herself watching everything more than worrying about shots as they observed the water and light show. As more animals were being projected onto the screen of water she smiled as a panda baby and its mother were shown before she gasped as it turned into a row of horses galloping.

Glancing down at her, Beckett smiled as Julia seemed to have her camera glued to her face since the flower almost directly in front of them were projecting the same image of the horses. She couldn't help missing Alex in that moment and feeling her husband's hand take hers she smiled at him before their fingers entwined and they looked back to the show.

Eliza was holding onto her father's arm tightly as he held her to him, watching a tall structure coming out from the middle of the lotus in between some boats. She had no sense of time, so when a male voice talked about leaving where they were sitting she groaned and said, "Is that it?"

"It is," Beckett said with a smile. "So you liked it?"

"Yeah," Eliza gasped out, nodding her head rapidly. As her father carried her out she then groaned again and said, "Do I hafta go?"

"You do," Castle told her as she slouched against him. He put her over his shoulder, to her squeal, before he said, "But Josie, Dani and Sophie are joining-"

"Hold on," Brad said quickly as they stopped outside of the entrance to the theater seating by the water. "We're taking Sophie back with us, but can someone make sure Eve and Jake get to our room?"

"We will," Castle and Beckett said together before they glanced at one another and then looked at the other parents.

"We're staying," Brennan said.

"So are we," Mary added.

"We're copying you guys," David said jokingly to Brad and Lily. "We're taking Dani."

"We'll get the kids back where they need to be," Skye said. "Better head out, they're all asleep."

Beckett turned rapidly and saw that Eliza was fast asleep in Castle's arms making her say, "How did that happen that fast?"

"Who knows," he replied. "I kissed her goodnight already."

Stepping forward quickly, Beckett brushed her lips to Eliza's forehead before she watched her husband hand the little girl over to her father carefully. She said goodnight to the group leaving, promising them they would meet for a special breakfast the next morning before they left. When they were on their own she looked at Eve, Jacob and Mari and said, "We're going all together?"

"I think we should split up," Clara said. "Would you two like to join us?" she directed to the Davis kids.

"Sure." "Yeah," Jacob and then Eve replied.

"We'll meet at the Monorail to head back?" Skye asked.

"Yeah, have fun," Beckett told them before the two other families, plus Alexis and Louis, were leaving them. She turned to Julia and Mari with Castle, about to tell them they could choose what they could do in the last two and a half hours that they had left when their oldest was telling them very briefly.

"Games," Julia said.

"Well, she cuts right to the chase," Castle said, glancing at his wife. Looking back at their oldest he said, "You don't want to go on rides?"

"We have time for that," Julia said, becoming a little impatient. "We just want to try and win the prizes now; we only walked by earlier."

"Alright, come on," Beckett said. She was going to take her daughter's hand but smiled when Julia instead took Mari's as they were leading the way over to the dinosaur themed land. She and Castle walked quickly after the two before she was taking his hand and she said, "I only have so much room in my bag; please take it easy."

"Yes, but a lot of these games involve throwing," Castle commented. "It might be better if you did." He blanched slightly at the look she gave him and said, "Which you will of course."

Shaking her head, Beckett let him go so he could get the vouchers they'd need for the games and she said to the girls, "What do you want to play first?"

"The whack a…" Mari started to say before she trailed off.

"That dinosaur with the bald head," Julia supplied.

"Yeah," Mari agreed with a nod before they laughed. "What do you want to go on after that?"

"Want to try the roller coaster?" Julia asked. "Coasters," she quickly added. "I want to go on the Everest one again."

"Me too," Mari said with a nod. "What about the safari?"

When both girls looked at her Beckett said, "We can leave that for the very last thing. I'm surprised you two want to go on that a third time… actually fourth for you Julia."

"I don't mind," the girl said quickly. "I love seeing the animals; and it's like going on the Jungle Cruise at night."  
Beckett nodded in understanding before she saw Castle was walking through the games, looking around as they'd gone over to the game Mari had mentioned. She waved to get his attention before she took the vouchers he had in his hand, looking up at him when she'd counted.

"What? Let them play," Castle told his wife.

"We wanted you guys to play too," Julia said quickly.

"I'm game," Castle said.

"So am I but no competitions," Beckett said, looking pointedly at her husband.

"Yeah but don't let us win either," Julia added.

With everyone laughing together Castle took the vouchers back from his wife to give to the cast member who was at the game. Once he had paid for them he stood with the others at one of the games, picking up the padded mallet that went with it. "Okay, so let's make a promise, no cheating," he said jokingly to them.

"I won't," Julia said before the cast member was ringing a bell and the dinosaurs started to pop out. She began hitting them as hard as she could, missing some which soon made her frustrated, but she continued until the bell rang again. She looked at Mari to her left before she turned to her right and said, "Great job Mom!" as she'd won.

"You were both quick," Beckett said with a smile. She then looked at the cast member who was telling her she could pick a prize before she asked for a blue dinosaur. "For Josie."

"I was gonna give mine to Josa," Julia said, nodding her head rapidly before she smiled. "Can we win one for Lizzy?"

"We'll try, but I think Mari might want to get one for her sister," Castle commented.

"I do," the little girl said with a smile at her friend. "Next game?"

"Yeah," Julia said, taking her hand before they walked over to the water squirt game as there were dinosaur stuffed toys too. She smiled as she watched her father give four vouchers and she turned her attention to the water gun in front of her, waiting to try and win a toy for her older little sister.

Beckett wondered if the girls would be able to keep their aim, but she focused more on her target as she knew Julia would be annoyed if she stopped for any reason. But when the bell rang she saw Mari had won, smiling and glancing at Julia.

"Great job!" Julia said eagerly to her friend. She hugged her tightly and then said, "What color will you get for her?"

"Red, she loves red," Mari said before she turned to the cast member to ask for it.

"What do you want to play next?" Castle asked the two.

"Um… could we stay here?" Julia asked.

"Is there a game you don't want to play?" Beckett then said.

"The basketball one," Julia said. "We can skip that one," she told her parents as she was looking at Mari who was nodding with a smile to her.

"Alright, let's try this one again," Castle said as he was handing over the vouchers. He wasn't surprised when he himself won that time and he said, "What color for Eliza?" to Julia.

"The blue one," the girl said, smiling at her father before she took the doll before she handed it to her mother.

"Oh no," Beckett said, looking into the bag she had had with her while they'd gone through the parks. "Eliza forgot her stuffed tiger."

"She won't mind," Castle said. He then turned quickly to Julia and said in a rush, "Make sure she has it."

Laughing the girl nodded and then walked with them to the next game before they began to play through the last three there were. When they'd finished the last one she looked at the green stuffed turtle her mother had won at a tossing game. "Think Lizzy will like it?" Julia asked.

"I think so," Castle replied. "And Josie will love hers."

"So now we can go on the rides," Beckett said as she took the stuffed turtle. "Roller coaster first?"

"Yep, can Mari and me sit in the middle?" Julia asked as they went through the exit of Primeval Whirl.

"Of course," Beckett said.

"And then sit together on Everest?" Julia then said while they waited for the next car to arrive at the station.

"Yes," Castle and Beckett said together, laughing. They went out onto the platform when the cast member told them they could and hurried into the next empty car. As they were going down the track they looked at each other over the girls' heads since they were talking excitedly to each other about the rides they would go on after already. They shared a smile before they turned their attention to the two and the incline they were starting up.

* * *

"I love this…" Julia started to say.

"Ride?" Castle said, confused as to why she was then.

"Yeah, I didn't know if you could call it a ride," Julia said.

"It is, we're moving," Castle commented as their jeep was starting to go.

Beckett shook her head, before she reached to him since he was sitting next to her and held his hand before he entwined their fingers. She squeezed gently before he was doing the same and she said softly in Irish, " _We should try and go on the mountain ride after this_."

" _We should_ ," Castle said in agreement. He then looked at Julia and Mari who were talking together quietly as the guide was speaking about the rhino before he kissed his wife's cheek. He wasn't surprised when she wrapped her arms around him before he held her to him and he said against her temple, "Should we stay like this the rest of the trip?"

"Yes," Beckett said with a smile. She glanced up at him, but she then straightened up though she didn't move too far away from him before she said, "But we can't forget them."

Castle nodded as he watched Julia pointing something out to her friend before he asked the two, "Anything out there?"

"There is," Julia said, turning to her parents with a smile. "You shouldn't be snogging if you wanna see the animals."

"Who said we're doing that?" Beckett asked her daughter with her eyebrow raised.

Julia giggled softly and then wrapped her arms around her mother for a quick hug before they were driving out into the open area of the safari and she could see some giraffes. She smiled when Mari gasped at one that was near them and she slid down the seat to her so she could look over her shoulder.

"If I was taller you couldn't do that," Mari said jokingly.

Pinching her friend's arm very gently, Julia giggled when she playfully pushed her shoulders, but it was only putting pressure on her.

"Hey, hey, no fighting on the safari," Castle said as he and Beckett were watching them in amusement. "You're going to scare the giraffes."

"And the zebras," Beckett commented as she looked past her husband seeing some were standing there. She smiled when Julia and Mari pressed close to them, watching the striped animals as the jeep stopped. When her husband gently put pressure on her leg she smiled and then gently clicked her tongue as she would do to Alex.

Julia held her breath as the zebra closest to them shook its head before it turned and walked away. She couldn't help saying in disappointment, "Mom, why-"

"It's a wild animal," Beckett replied. "I'm glad it did that."

"That was cool though, it was listening to you," Mari supplied.

"That's true," Julia said, nodding her head. She then smiled at her friend before she sat more towards the other side of the jeep with her. Though it was dark she couldn't help taking pictures, not using the flash just to see what would come out. She reminded herself to show those pictures to her mother as soon as she could to see what she would say about them as she knew her mother wasn't taking them that time around the trail.

Since there wasn't anything to see at that moment while they drove again, Beckett took the opportunity to lean against her husband. As he wrapped his arm around her waist she snaked hers around his back, holding onto him. They relaxed and watched the scenery, not really needing anything more than that.

Looking over at her parents after they'd passed the elephants, Julia smiled as they were talking to each other quietly and smiling as well. She turned to Mari and hugged her tightly, suddenly full of joy to have her friend there with her and her family at the park as their safari through the night continued.


	17. Not Thinking What To Do

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I just want to note that the hotel I describe at Universal Studios and everything inside it is all my own creation.

A/N #2: It was great receiving the feedback I did for the last chapter, so I'll get to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I'm really happy that you liked how the family was in the chapter and how they were having fun at the last park at Disney World),

Mb (Nice to read that you thought the chapter was fantastic. And yeah, Animal Kingdom is a really impressive park with the different attractions in it. Too bad that you weren't able to head there but I'm not surprised you want to go now if you got back. It was funny to see that your two favorite characters are Goofy and Donald Duck, they're mine too, lol, which is why I included them. And I did see that Egypt Station got to #1, it's well deserved because that album is fantastic- I got it and have listened to it already, lol, which is likely no surprise. And it wasn't a surprise to see that you mentioned it for both me and Julia, lol. You're welcome for the first half! I was glad that you thought the second half was beautifully written. I'm happy you love seeing them all together and having a blast together at the parks with rides and shows. No surprise you're still jealous, lol. So thanks for saying it was beautifully written twice. And you're welcome for the second half too!) and

vetgirlmx (I was happy to see of course that you thought the chapter was really fun. And I thought you might enjoy the fact this was both an amusement park and zoo, lol. I wish you could go to that park, you would enjoy it a lot since it's fun with both rides and animals. Anyways, I think they had double the fun with both of those, lol, I agree with you about that. I did laugh a bit when you mentioned Eliza not letting go of the Grandpapa issue but you're right, she's done that a bit during the trip so far. And interesting you're rooting for her and I'm not surprised you're hoping that she'll wear Alexis down with that. Yep, you'll see how that goes of course! I also wasn't surprised that you were very glad Eliza got to see that show as she's had to go to bed early of course, and I figured that one Castle and Beckett would want her to check out. But you make a point about her deserving it being really good not being able to go on all the rides and not being able to stay up late. And glad you enjoyed the show as much as she did, it's on YouTube so you can see how it is, it's a really well put together show. Great you thought the fun was ending. And not surprised you forgot about Universal since they were so focused on Disney, lol. Really happy you can't wait to see that, and not surprised you think they're going to have so much fun there, and not you don't need to wait anymore!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them and loved the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Heaven on a Sunday_ by Paul McCartney, from his album _Flaming Pie_.

Not Thinking What To Do

Looking up at her husband, Beckett smiled when he handed her the mug in his left hand and told him, "Thank you love."

"You're welcome," Castle replied, sitting down next to her on the bed.

"What?" Beckett said in surprise as he was soon staring at her.

"You don't want to drink outside?" Castle asked.

Leaning over after she'd taken a sip of her tea, Beckett gently kissed him before her husband was responding and after they'd parted she nuzzled her lips to his. "I'd rather do this."

"But?" Castle asked. When he wife pulled away and looked at him he smiled and said, "I know you really well love."

"That's true," Beckett replied, smiling herself before she spoke again. "And it works vice versa. But I would like to go out since we're leaving."

"Hard to believe?" Castle asked her as they were getting off the bed.

"Very," Beckett said simply as she went over to the crib where Josie was still asleep. When they were both sure she was alright she headed with her husband out to their bedroom balcony where they went straight to the railing, watching the giraffes and secretary birds that were near them. She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling him quickly wrap his arm around her before they were quiet. But something she'd been wanting to talk to him about for a while wouldn't stop nagging her and she was debating whether to bring it up when he squeezed her shoulder gently, making her look up to him questioningly.

"Did you change your mind about tonight at all?" Castle asked in a low voice as he didn't know if anyone was on the balconies around them.

Beckett couldn't help smiling and she said, "I haven't, don't worry."

Castle frowned and was about to speak when she was placing her hand on his chest. He only took a moment to grab it before he said, "I worded that wrong."

"Very, but I know you'll let me tell you what I'd like later," Beckett replied. She sipped the last of her tea before set the mug down on the chair closest to her and turned back to her husband. She had to pause when he set his mug on the other chair and she smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck tightly before she kissed him. They leaned into each other at the same time before they were beginning to kiss, and she parted her lips for his tongue.

Searching her mouth, Castle could feel his tongue beginning to throb along with his lips since he was tasting her and the slightly sweetened tea as well. When they parted a short time later he looked into her eyes for a moment before they were kissing again. He held her tighter to him before he slowly pulled away from her and said, "My alarm is ringing isn't it?"

"And Josie's crying," Beckett said, rushing over to the sliding door.

Sighing, though it was time for them to get ready for breakfast, Castle stepped inside and asked, "How's she doing?"

"Hungry," Beckett said, walking up to him.

Stepping out of the way, Castle quickly followed her onto the balcony as he suddenly remembered the mugs. Once they were out of the way he sat in the other chair, watching her beginning to nurse the baby. They were quiet, looking out at their view as they'd soon be checking out once Josie was ready to go. He was thinking about their morning and then the hotel at Universal Studios, so when his wife said his name he nearly jumped in his chair.

"Where were you?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

"Up north," Castle said. "Sorry, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Beckett reassured him. "I was going to ask if you could get her outfit for today and then make sure her things are packed?"

"Sure," Castle said, standing up quickly and leaning over the baby to kiss the top of her head. He then shared a quick kiss with Beckett, having to push himself to go inside so they could get Josie ready to leave as well.

When she had finished, Beckett went inside herself and placed Josie into her crib before she fixed her blouse and put away the blanket she'd used for cover. Taking the top and pants for the baby her husband handed her she couldn't help smiling as he kissed at her neck through her hair. "Rick," she said gently but firmly.

Groaning Castle told her, "I need you."

"I guess so," Beckett said, turning around to him. "You didn't even speak in Irish."

"You're that good," Castle said simply.

Laughing softly and briefly Beckett said, "So are you."

Studying the expression on her face Castle saw she was serious, and he shuddered for a moment before saying, "I'll behave until then."

"Good, now kiss me before we have to go," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband didn't say anything, merely turned to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close as he could without merging their bodies together. When their lips did the same she was fighting with him hungrily, their tongues rolling around together as one kiss became four before there was a knock at the door that made her pull away first. "Rick," she said simply as he was still holding onto her, kissing at her neck.

"Wrong door," Castle said simply before he was kissing her again.

Though she knew they needed to stop, Beckett couldn't do it and she was getting into it before she heard someone heavily clearing their throat. Breaking away immediately she looked at the doorway to their bedroom and seeing their daughters there she sighed and said, "Rick."

"You're not mad," Castle pointed out. When she just sighed he brushed his lips to hers and let her go saying, "I'll check on her things." But before he could go to Josie's tiny suitcase he went to the girls and hugged them both saying, "Good morning. No nightmares about dinosaurs."

Julia rolled her eyes, while Eliza giggled and shook her head before he was walking to the hall by the bathroom once he'd shared a kiss with them both.

"Good morning girls," Beckett said when the girls rushed over to her. She hugged them both and then said, "Are we running late?"

"No, I wanted to say thank you for my dinosaur," Eliza said with a wide smile. "It's pretty. And a good one."

"It is," Beckett said, sharing a kiss with them quickly. "But we are going to be late unless I get your sister ready now."

"Can we help?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Beckett said, getting Josie out of the crib to take her to the blanket on the bed. She then got the baby undressed and changed out of her diaper while the girls were handing her what she needed. Once their little sister was dressed she let Julia take her, pressing her lips to the baby's forehead to take care of everything on the bed and meeting her husband by the closet.

"Do you want an apology?" Castle asked her teasingly as he took Josie's pajamas.

"Not really," Beckett said, smiling when her husband laughed before they were sharing a brief kiss. They went together into the bedroom, seeing their daughters were out on the balcony. "We need to go," she said as she went to the doorway.

"Do we hafta?" Eliza asked in disappointment.

"Yes," Castle said. "Hogwarts is calling remember?"

Beckett did her best not to shake her head at that as the girls were giggling and she then said, "He's right though, we need to check into our rooms."

Julia handed Josie to Beckett and then took her father's hand before they went outside and to the door to the hall. She smiled and said, "I want to go… but not too much."

"We'll come back," Castle said. When his wife looked at him he smiled at her and said, "We should have talked about that sooner, but when we come back we'll stay here." He made sure that all his and his wife's cases were there, plus Josie's suitcase and bag and said, "Alright, we can head to breakfast now."

"Where are we having it?" Julia asked as she walked with her mother out the door while Castle was taking Josie in her carrier.

"At the same place where we had our first dinner," he answered before his wife could say anything.

"The buffet?" Julia said.

Beckett nodded before they were walking through the lobby to get to the restaurant where she could see the rest of their family and friends were. After they were taken to their tables she said to Lily who was at the one next to her and her family, "What did they say?"

"Oh, they didn't want to go," she replied. She laughed slightly and said, "And then Brad reminded them about Universal so there were some torn emotions."

Beckett smiled before they stood up and she said, "I think that's how everyone is." She went over to the food with everyone and said to her husband, "Try and take it easy with the sweets."

"You're a little mistaken," Castle said as he got some scrambled eggs for her and then his plate. "I was going to get those for myself."

Squeezing her husband's arm momentarily, Beckett said, "Just remember we're not going to a park."

"Duly noted," Castle said before they turned their attention to their daughters who were joining them. He helped them get their food before they were back at their table and sitting together.

"These waffles are cute," Julia said.

"Yes, but that one you're sharing with your sister," Castle replied. He glanced at his wife when Josie cooed in her carrier at her left and he said, "She'd like some to," to the girls.

"I hope she likes food like this too," Eliza commented after eating some of her oatmeal. "And Sophie," she added.

"Do you need help with your sausage?" Jim asked Julia as he was sitting next to her at the next table though they'd pushed them together.

"I can cut it," the girl said with a smile. "Thanks." She ate a bite of her Mickey waffle that she had split with her sister and asked, "Are you excited? You're gonna get robes."

"I wanted to ask about that," Martha said, sitting on the other side of Jim's table. "When will we get those?"

"We'll unpack," Beckett answered. "And then I guess see what everyone else wants to do."

"Knowing these children," Martha began. "I imagine it would be getting the robes. And your wands?"

"We probably have to wait to get those in the park tomorrow," Castle said.

"Which one are we going to first?" Eliza asked.

"We'll say later," Beckett replied.

"Wait, we're going to the movies later," Julia said quickly.

"Should I?" Castle asked his wife.

"Go ahead," Beckett replied, smiling at the look on his face.

"Okay, so we're actually going to both parks on both days," Castle began.

"Why?" Eliza said in confusion.

"They have Harry Potter stuff in both parks," Julia said. She then turned to their parents and said eagerly, "We're really going to do that?"

"Yes," Beckett said. "Don't ask how because you'll find out tomorrow." Watching the girl, she could see she wanted to speak but was hesitating, so she said, "What is it?"

"Can we go to that stuff first?" Julia asked. "In both parks?"

"What did you think we were going to do?" Castle asked, a smile on his face. "So yes, we can go to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade."

"Great," Julia said happily.

"Since we have that set you guys should finish," Beckett told them both as they'd stopped during their conversation.

"I wish we could get robes for Josa," Eliza said after eating some of her potatoes.

"When she's older," Beckett said firmly. She wasn't surprised when the girls both sighed in disappointment and then went back to their food. She felt her husband squeeze her hand and she did the same to him quickly before they began to talk to their daughters about their robes. They spent the rest of the meal discussing those and possible wands to buy the next day as it neared time for them to head over to the other theme park resort.

* * *

"I'm going to say it," Skye said. "Quite impressive." She glanced at the other parents with her waiting to check into their rooms and then said with a smile, "We're all thinking it of course."

"Not in that exact same way," Brennan replied.

"Close enough," Skye said with a shrug. "See you back with the others."  
"Hopefully that sense of humor will come out during the show," David said.

"It probably will," Castle said. A concierge worker called to him and he went to check into the rooms under his name before he walked back to where his wife was standing at the entry to the gift shop. "Is there any chance we can get them out?" he asked her since he knew their daughters were inside looking at the merchandise.

"Our parents are with them," Beckett told him. She then said, "But we can mention the room they're all sharing."  
"They know about that already," Castle pointed out.

"Remind them of that," Beckett said firmly.

Castle nodded before he realized that their daughters were coming up to them with his mother and Beckett's father. "You got tired already?" he asked them.

"No, it's sooo cool!" Eliza said happily. "And we saw the robes and they're ready Daddy, Mommy."

"Later," Beckett said. "After we get things ready." They left together and she held Eliza's hand so they could walk over to the elevators they would need.

"We're in separate buildings?" Brad asked.

"No, no, separate floors," Mary corrected him quickly. "We're all in the Ravenclaw towers."

"Did we all get Ravenclaw rooms?" Rebecca asked.

"Basically; I hope everyone likes the color blue," Castle told them.

"We asked for our rooms," Brad told his friend in mock annoyance.

"We'll group text in an hour," Beckett said with a laugh as she shook her head as her husband and the chief were pretending to box then. Since there were so many of them they had to split up into different elevators and she said to the girls, "You'll go with your grandparents, but they'll need to wait to see your guys' room."

"Is that… unfair?" Julia asked.

"Not really," Beckett replied. "Their parents explained to them already you were going to need to do that."

"Mom… I think you should take us to your room," Julia said after she and her sister had shared a look.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked in slight surprise.

"Yeah, to be fair," Eliza added.

"Alright," Beckett said with a smile. "Dad, Martha you can go ahead to the room, we'll bring the kids… at some point."

"It might be less than an hour Katie," Jim said to his daughter.

"I'll text everyone when it gets to that point," Castle said. They stopped at the floor that the kids' room was on, and he said to his daughter and Louis, "You're at the other end of the hall from the kids, so far enough away."  
"We wouldn't mind if we were next door Dad," Alexis said wryly though she was smiling at him while she took the room key. "And thank you."

"Yes, wonderful to be here," Louis said.

Laughing with the others Beckett said, "We'll see you later." After saying goodbye to her father and mother in law she pressed the button to close the doors and once they went up one more floor she said, "At least we're close."

"What if Josa needs you at night?" Eliza asked.

"If that does happen we can come down to the room," Castle said as they were walking down the hall. "Ah, here we are," he said when he saw the number. He opened the door and said, "This is the Head Boy and Head Girl room."

"Rick-" Beckett said with a slight sigh before she cut herself off seeing those words were on the door. She then turned her attention to the room; where their two oldest were already inside and squealing; and she stepped in before she said, "Oh…"

"Is this alright?" Castle asked her.

Beckett gave her husband a brief look and said, "Yes, it's… beautiful."

"It's cool!" Julia said, standing at the bookcases that were next to the door to the bedroom. It covered one wall and though she discovered the books were fake she couldn't lose her smile at room. It was painted all in the blue of the house with some tiny silver stars here and there while there was a bust of a silver raven on a tall table next to the door. There were very comfortable looking chairs in the free spaces along with a large couch that looked like the chairs, all in blue.

"What does your bed look like?" Eliza asked as she'd been looking around too.

"Go ahead," Beckett told them. She smiled when her daughters raced back to her and took her hands, pulling her over to the bedroom before they stopped just outside the door. "That's it?" she asked them in surprise.

"Hold on, I'm coming," Castle said since the girls were looking at him. "Would you open the door Eliza." He wasn't surprised when Beckett started to protest but he simply reached for her, picking her up before he stepped into the bedroom. When he looked inside the room he paused and then carefully set his wife down as they looked around, their momentary pause only broken by Julia's very vocal reaction.

"How cool!" the girl exclaimed. Turning to her parents Julia smiled and said, "Do you like it?"

"It's…" Beckett started to say before she glanced over at the walls on either side of the small alcove where their bed was. "Are those real?" she asked as there were tapestries.

"No," Castle said, having walked closer to the left of the bed and touching the one there. "But really nice reproductions," he added as he'd finished looking closely at the material used. "Okay, so we need to get back out to Josie-"

"I'll get her," Julia said before she was leaving.

"Do you like the bed Mommy?" Eliza asked her, as it was a silver bed that was inside an alcove that was half domed in deep blue with stars painted on it.

"I do," Beckett said with a smile as she went to sit on the dark blue comforter. "I thought it would be a four poster."

"I think they were trying to make it different," Castle replied, turning to Julia. He stopped her and then took Josie from her, holding her against his shoulder. "And bookcases here."

Beckett laughed softly and said, "I know, but you should give her back to Julia. We need to unpack our things. Girls? You can lay on the bed."

Taking her little sister back, Julia with Eliza over to the bed where they took their shoes off before they climbed onto it. She had to hand the baby to her sister, but she was soon sitting next to her with Josie cradled in her arms.

"Mommy!" Eliza said in surprise when she and Julia looked up at the sound of a shutter to see their mother had taken a picture of them.

"Did you not want me to?" Beckett asked them in amusement.

"That's alright," Julia said. "But hurry and unpack so we can go see our room."

"Yeah, I want to see it…" Eliza began before she trailed off. "Think we'll have a bed like this one?"

"There are probably more beds than in this room," Julia pointed out to her as their parents were beginning to go through their suitcases. "Since all of us kids are staying in there." She frowned slightly and asked them, "How do we all fit?"

"You'll see," Beckett replied as she was hanging up her blouse for the next day in the wardrobe the room had.

Eliza looked at her sister, but Julia merely shrugged, so she looked down at Josie and said, "I wish we knew the house you're gonna get."

"It's alright," Castle said as he and his wife were listening to them while unpacking.

"True, she can't wear robes or a scarf or anything," Julia pointed out to her sister. "Well, she could use the scarf like a blanket," she then said after thinking for a moment.

"It's still summer," Beckett said. "She'll be fine wearing what she is."

Julia laughed with her sister before she watched Eliza playing with their little sister carefully until their parents had finished with their clothing. "We can go now?" she asked.

"Yes," Beckett said once she'd taken the baby from her. Checking Josie's diaper, she said, "We can but first your dad needs to text everyone."

Waiting a little impatiently, the girls watched as their father was working on his phone before he looked up at them.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Castle laughed and said, "They're ready so we can leave now." He followed Beckett out to the main room with Julia and Eliza with them before she was putting the baby into her carrier. He stopped her before she could pick it up and then carried it with them as they went out of the room and to the elevators. Walking down the hall, he shared a smile with his wife as their daughters were jogging carefully down the hall until they stopped at the suite they'd be staying at.

"You can knock," Beckett told them as they were looking at her and Castle.

Turning to the door, Julia knocked on it before she smiled at her grandfather when he opened it shortly after that. "Is anyone else here?" she said quickly.

"Not yet, you guys are the first," Jim told her with a smile.

"Come inside," Martha said, coming up behind him then. "The rooms are absolutely beautiful."

Taking her little sister's hand, they stepped into the outer room of the suite and Julia's mouth dropped open as she looked up at the high ceiling of the room that was domed in silver. Underneath it was a circle of couches without backs that were in blue, chairs in between the tall bookcases. The windows were tall as well, arched at the top, and so were the doors that were in the walls too. "The rooms are as nice as this right?" she managed to ask.

Martha didn't say anything, merely went to the first door on the left and she opened it saying, "This is where I'll be staying with some of the children… if we agree about that."

Peering inside, Eliza gasped and said, "Jules look! They have beds like Mommy and Daddy."

Seeing that there was a large bed and two sets of bunk beds in alcoves Julia smiled and said to her sister, "You're gonna stay here?"

"And Dani on the bottom bed," a voice said behind them, making them turn to see who had else had arrived.

"You don't mind sharing with her do you Eliza?" Rebecca; who'd spoken; asked as she and her family walked into the room.

"No," Eliza said seriously. She then smiled at Dani as her friend hurried over to her and she hugged her before saying, "We're gonna spend the night."  
"Yeah," the toddler said before giggling.

"Are the other three rooms all like this?" Brad asked when he and his family entered.

"And how are there four bedrooms?" Brennan asked since he, his family and the McDouglases were there too.

"It's an upper level suite," Castle said. "I told you guys."

"True," Beckett's cousin said. "And it's better there are so many beds."

"Speaking of that," Beckett said. "I think we should divide them up now, so we don't delay things for them when they go to bed later." She wasn't surprised when the other parents agreed with that and she turned her attention to Julia who was talking with Mari.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Julia looked up at her mother and said, "We can take the top bunk."

"I was going to suggest that," Beckett said, smiling at her. "Who'll be with you?"

"Erin will stay on the bottom bunk with Eve," Clara said, walking over to them. "And Jake will stay on the bottom bed, your father's switching with Martha though; to stay here in this room."

Beckett nodded before she said, "And who'll stay in her room?"

"Fleur will stay in the bed with me," Martha said, walking over. "And the two sets of twins will take the bunk there."

"There's only one?" Beckett asked.

Nodding her head Martha said, "Only the two bedrooms on the end have two bunk beds." She looked around at the kids and said, "I think some of the kids can have their own beds."

"Some want to share," Beckett replied with a smile. "I'm assuming Erin will have that bunk bed on her own."

"Okay," Brad called to everyone. "I think we have things set. Our kids will stay in the bedroom on the end with the McDouglas girls since that has two sets of bunk beds."

"I'll take the next room," Jim said quickly.

"No, take the room with the girls Dad," Beckett told him.

Nodding Jim said, "Then what about Erin?"

"She can go in that room as well…" Brennan started to say. "We'll have a room free."

"Do you want to want to have a room to yourselves?" Mary asked hers and Skye's children.

"Where are the cribs?" Skye asked then.

"Both are in the room at the other end," Jim said.

"I didn't ask them to do that," Castle said quickly when the others looked at him. "But Mother you can stay with just the McDouglas girls and the babies if they don't mind staying with them."

"Okay, then the next room can be you two," Lily said to her son and daughter.

"And Erin can stay with Martha and the girls," Brennan said. "We still have an empty room, but the other rooms didn't have enough for all of them?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "I figured they'd be more spread out. "We're ready?"

"We'll unpack really quickly," Brad said first. "And then get those robes because they're not leaving us alone about it."

Going into the room their daughters were going to stay in with the Foster girls, Castle said to David and Rebecca, "Have they been bothering you too?"

"Of course," the latter said. "Though it's mostly been Mari that's been saying."

"I want to see you wearing robes," the little girl said defensively before she laughed with Julia.

"I'd like to see how Dani does in hers," David said.

"Do you have your pin?" Julia asked her friend as their parents were then talking to each other as they were hanging clothes.

"Yep," Mari replied. "What about you?"

"I have it, I'm ready," Julia said, showing the pin as she pulled it just slightly out of her pocket. She smiled when Mari did so at her and she then said, "Who else is going to have pins?"

"I don't know," the girl said honestly.

"She doesn't have one," Julia said quickly when her friend was looking at her sister.

"Think she'll ask for it?" Mari asked.

"Don't know," Julia said simply and with a shrug before she looked at the four adults with them.

"Yes?" Castle said before his wife playfully slapped his arm with the back of her hand.

"We're ready but we need to see if…" Beckett started to say before she realized something and went out to the living room. "Dad-" she began to say.

"I can unpack now," Jim said simply. "That way I know where I can put my clothes," he added. He handed Josie to Alexis and walked into the room saying, "But I'll be quick."

"Thanks Grandpapa," Julia called to him before she gasped. She then saw that everyone in the room was looking over at her and she said, "Sorry, I just saw those."

Beckett glanced at her husband in confusion before she turned with her to look at the front door. "How did we miss those?" she asked her husband and their friends.

"No clue… but you know on the site there's a full statue," Castle commented.

"How're they going to put a full statue here?" David asked.

"Who knows," Castle replied before they'd reached the two items on either side of the door. "So that's the founder of o… I mean the Ravenclaw house."

"For most of us," Beckett said with a smile at her husband.

"It's pretty," Eliza said firmly. "Is that pretty stone real?"

"I don't think so," Rebecca said first as they had turned their attention to the diadem from the movie that was in a glass case. "Don't try to take it."

"A Ravenclaw wouldn't do that," Castle commented jokingly.

"No but apparently a Slytherin would," Mary said, walking out of the room with her family and Martha. "Why am I the only one here?"

"It's just how it worked out _grá_ ," Skye said. "So," she then said as she watched the others walking out as well. "I think we're more than prepared to explore our castle."

"What, the other rooms?" Jacob said wryly.

"No, but there are some things to see," Beckett said. Since the kids looked immediately interested she went to grab Josie's bag before they were walking out and returning to the elevators. Once they were downstairs in the lobby she said, "Do we even need to ask them?" to the other parents.

"No," Lily said laughingly.

"She was asking as we were walking out of the room," Brennan said, smiling at his daughter when she frowned at him.

"We'll go to the gift shop first," Castle said.

"Finally," Julia said loudly. She wasn't surprised when the others all started to laugh, and she did too before they were entering the store and splitting up at the merchandise for each house that was in different rooms. She wanted her parents to get their robes first, but Beckett took down one of the smaller sized robes and she tried not to sigh.

As soon as her father had closed the clasp on the front Eliza was squealing and playfully skipping around before he grabbed her hand simply. "I don't want to trip," she said with a giggle as she looked up at him.

"I think you proved that," Castle commented. "Now your turn," he said to Julia.

Waiting for her mother to get her robes the girl couldn't help smiling and saying, "Can I put my pin now?"

"Wait until we pay for these," Beckett said, helping her into the sleeves. Once they were set she let her oldest close the front before she told her, "Walk around a little bit."  
Quickly doing that, Julia then said, "I can walk."

"Should she skip too?" Castle asked his wife jokingly.

"We can get ours now," Beckett said with a sigh.

"Mom, if you don't want to wear one-" Julia began to say.

"It's alright," Beckett told her daughter hurriedly. "I do but I don't want to hear any… comments."  
"I wasn't going to," Castle said seriously, unable to help feeling a little hurt she thought he would do that.

"Okay," Beckett replied, squeezing his hand in an apology.

"We should hurry," Alexis said as she, Martha and Jim were with them but had been watching them. She had her own robes on and said, "We need to get Gram's and Jim's too." She looked at Eliza who was opening her mouth and said, "Grandpapa." She smiled when her little sister giggled wildly and hugged her before they turned to their parents who were putting on their own robes they'd found at that moment. She was about to tell them how she thought they looked when Julia was the first to do so; to no one's surprise as they all smiled at her reaction.

"You look great!" the little girl said happily.

"It's interesting," Castle said, smiling at his wife as she was looking at her sleeves.

"It is," Beckett said, smiling at the girls. "And I'll wear this I promise."

Nodding Eliza said, "You should. Are you gonna wear them now?"

"We should," Castle told his wife.

"I will," Beckett said firmly. "Now we should head over to the other rooms to get the robes for your grandparents." She took Eliza's hand before they walked to the Gryffindor room and she let Martha go over to the robes before she was pulling one out.

"They seem to be heavy," Castle's mother said.

"Once you put them on they're thin," Alexis told her. "Hold it up to the light."

Doing so Martha saw her granddaughter was right, and she could see the light through it. With a nod she said, "Alright."

"Perfect Gram," Eliza said happily once Martha was closing the clasp.

"Thank you," Castle's mother replied, turning around for her younger granddaughters. "Does it work with my hair?"

Giggling with her little sister Julia said, "The Weasleys were all red heads."

"Very true," Martha said. "Now it's Jim's turn I believe."

Beckett's father walked with Julia; who'd rushed over to him; and when they were in the room for the Hufflepuff merchandise he grabbed one of the larger robes.

"It looks good Dad," Beckett said with a smile at him when he'd finished putting it on.

"Thank you," Jim said as he was looking down at it before he glanced at Julia.

"Yep, perfect Grandpapa," the girl said with a nod. She looked around everyone in her family and with a smile said, "Let's go!" before she heard someone calling to her behind her.

"You look great," Mari said when she had reached her friend.

"I know, it feels weird it's not as small as my old one was," Julia said with a wide smile. "I wish I had my wand."

"Better wait for tomorrow sweetie," Beckett told her with a smile.

"Yeah," Julia said with a sigh. She then said, "Where's Dani?"

"Over there," Mari said as her parents were coming over to them with her little sister.

"You look cool," Eliza said to her friend when she had come gone over to her.

"You too," Dani said, in her Gryffindor robes, before she giggled.

"How does it feel?" Rebecca asked, wearing her Ravenclaw robes.

Waving her hand, as her friend was talking to her, Beckett said with a smile, "It's fine, I'll get used to it during the next two days I'm sure."

"And we have automatic Halloween costumes," Lily, wearing Gryffindor robes, commented.

Laughing Beckett said, "True."

"What are we going to do now?" Fleur asked as everyone was standing together in the main room of the gift shop.

"Walk around," Skye reminded her. "And before we go and pay, how do we all feel in our robes? Oh, I'm speaking to all the adults here. Alexis, Louis that includes you both."

"It's fine," Beckett said, rolling her eyes as some were looking at her. When the other parents nodded and said in some way they didn't mind the robes at all she smiled before her cousin's son was speaking.

"I think mine is interesting," Louis said. "But we seem to be sparse in Slytherins."

"Probably a good thing," Mary said wryly as some of them were looking at her. "But don't cross me of course."

Laughing Skye slung her arm around her wife's shoulders and spoke to her in Italian before she said in English to the others, "We have one thing left to do."

Since the woman was looking pointedly at him, Castle became confused before he realized why she was doing that and said, "Okay, let's go."

"Rick…" Beckett started to say as her husband had pulled her carefully in the opposite direction of the registers. She stopped herself as she knew she wouldn't be able to stop him and instead became curious to see what exactly he wanted.

"For you love," Castle said, handing her a pin from the shelves that had them. "And for me."

"Isn't this a little presumptuous?" Beckett asked as she studied the pin that read _Head Girl_ across a crest shape with blue under the diagonal words.

"I think we would be," Castle commented.

"Harry's dad was Head Boy," Julia said, smiling at her parents as she and her family were with them. "And he played pranks and broke rules." She then looked thoughtful and said, "Probably because he wanted to be with Lily," before she looked up at her father pointedly.

"Yes, I can sympathize," Castle said quickly. "Eliza, do you want a pin too?"

"Where's yours?" Beckett asked Julia.

"In my pocket," the girl said. "I thought I would have to wait until we bought the robes."  
"You should," Castle said.

"I don't want a pin," Eliza said as her family looked at her.

"I'll take a prefect pin," Alexis said. "You guys should get pins too," she said to her grandmother and step-grandfather.

"I'll pass," Martha said. "It's enough with the robes."  
"I'll agree," Jim said, smiling at the girls. "Plus, I think Fleur is getting a pin."

Glancing over at the girl, Julia could see that she was holding a Hufflepuff Head Girl pin. "I think everyone's getting one," she commented.

"Just the kids," Castle said. "Alright, we'll go pay now. If you want anything else wait until we see the gift shops that are in the park; if they don't have it there we'll get it here."  
After the girls had nodded Beckett went with the girls after him to the registers before he was paying for everything. She wasn't surprised; when he had finished, and they'd taken the tags off the robes; when her husband handed her her pin and he quickly got his ready. "Okay, so we have enough Head Boys and Girls and Prefects," she said once everyone had finished paying. "Now we go through the castle."

Walking with Julia, Mari said with a smile, "I really hope we can wear these all the time."

"We get to wear them on the train," the girl pointed out.

"Yep," Mari said before they started laughing together. She looked around them and said, "Wow."

Looking herself, Julia saw they were in a larger room where there were several staircases. She smiled when she saw one of them moving; on a screen she could tell; but she didn't care saying, "Too bad we couldn't go up."

"I know," Eve said. She glanced around them and said, "Do the doors go anywhere?" as there were many of them around the walls.

"Yep," Jacob said as someone came out from one room.

"Here," Castle said, leading the way with Beckett before they went into the door that the person had come out of. When he heard them gasping in amazement as they were suddenly 'outside' he said, "I thought this place would be good to start out with. Welcome to the arcade."

"This is really good," Kathleen said. "But this is it?"

"No but you'll see," Castle said. "See the brooms?" he asked as there were rows of them grouped together. He wasn't surprised when the kids rushed over to them, leaving the babies and Dani behind. "It's virtual reality but there is someone there who will help them," he said as a worker walked out of a door on the other side of the room.

"They'll love it," David said.

"Especially since those brooms move it appears," Clara said.

"Can adults go on that?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, I'd love to myself," Louis said quickly.

After they'd stopped laughing Castle said, "We can all take a turn if we want."

Watching as the kids were getting on the brooms and then putting on the goggles that went with them Lily said, "Are we going to be able to see their game?"

"Yep," Brad said, looking at the screen above the brooms that had slightly raised. He laughed and said, "Jake picked out Harry Potter."

"Are you surprised?" Skye said. "Hmm, odd to see though that Julia picked out Cho Chang; thought she wasn't a fan of her character."

"She's not," Martha said.

"She just wanted to be the Seeker," Beckett said as the characters were flying all around the screen while the kids on the brooms were moving; just slightly. "I didn't even think if Eliza would be able to go on as well," she said to her husband.

Shaking his head Castle said, "They can do everything," before they joined the other parents who had begun to cheer for their kids.

"Great job," Castle called out as Julia caught the Snitch on the screen, winning the game for Ravenclaw. "Our turn next, how're we playing?"

"I say Ravenclaw and let the kids pick out the other team," Rebecca said.

"Slytherin," Julia said, walking back to them.

"Okay, let's go," Castle said.

As she'd been letting Josie; in her stroller; hold her finger Beckett leaned over and kissed the baby on her forehead before she straightened up and followed her husband over to the brooms. When she had taken the one the worker said was for the Seeker, she held the goggles that were on the end of the broom and said, "Who're you?"  
"The chaser, Roger Davies," Castle said. "I'll try to score some goals."

Beckett laughed; as he had a remote in his hand to use to throw and hold onto the game ball; and said, "I'll try to catch the Snitch," before she put on her goggles. When they came on she wasn't surprised the images there matched what was on the screen, the Quidditch pitch from the movies. She could feel the broom under her moving as she moved her feet and in front of her she was moving too. It took her a little to get used to that but when she had she was flying around until she'd reached the top of the pitch, looking around before she saw Draco Malfoy; Skye; fly up to her.

"I'm not evil by the way," Skye called.

"Don't talk it's weird," Beckett said with a laugh as the character's mouth didn't move in front of her. She then saw a glint of gold and immediately leaned over the broom and she went down towards the field and she could dimly hear her husband cheering when he scored or when Brennan had until she and Skye were flying together to try and catch the Snitch.

"Oooh, Mommy get it!" Eliza said as she and the other kids were cheering their parents on, though she and Julia were cheering on Alexis as well. When Beckett reached out with her gloved hand she screeched and jumped up and down in joy as Ravenclaw had won that game. She rushed over to her mother as soon as they were walking to them and hugged her tightly saying, "You won the game!"

"I know but your daddy helped too," Beckett replied, smiling at him.

"Thank Alexis, she helped me out," Castle commented, smiling at her. "Okay, now the next game," he said to everyone before they were leaving the room as others were heading inside. He went to the next door to the right and opened it, standing aside to let the kids go in first, waiting for verbal reactions which he very quickly after got.

"A maze!" Eliza gasped. She then looked at her sister and said, "Like in the fourth book?"

"I think so," Julia said eagerly. "We can go right?"

"Yes," Beckett said since the girl had been talking to herself and Castle. "But we'll split up by family."

"You guys go first," Skye said. When Beckett and Castle looked at her questioningly she smiled and said, "I don't know that anyone's a bigger fan than your girls." She then pretended to be thoughtful and said, "Well… perhaps Mari. Go."

"Thanks!" Julia said.

"Yeah, thank you!" Eliza said quickly before she and her sister were walking up to the start of the maze with their family.

After a worker had given them a map and let them know what they were going to be coming up to inside the maze Beckett said to her husband, "Don't throw that away."

"And risk missing out on dinner?" Castle asked jokingly.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Also let the kids work on the challenges."  
"Sure," Castle said as he was folding up the map to slip into the right-hand pocket of his robes.

"Which way do we go?" Julia asked as they came to two separate paths.

"Pick," Alexis said. "I don't think it matters which way we go, we'll find a dead end I'm sure." She smiled when Julia playfully wrinkled her nose at her before they went to the right with her sisters leading them.

When they turned a corner; after a few dead ends and backtracking; Eliza screamed when she saw the hooded figure in front of her before she tried to run and instead ran into her mother. "It's a dementor!" she whispered, burying her face into her robes.

"Wait," Julia said, seeing the screen in a little alcove in the hedge. She read the question that was there and said, "Want to say the spell?" to her little sister. When Eliza peered at her she smiled and said, "I'll take care of it." She took out the small wand that was in a compartment under the screen and said, " _Riddikulus_!" She couldn't help feeling some satisfaction as the dementor; and the mist it was being projected on; turned into globe of red light before it disappeared.

"Nice," Castle commented. "Can you take that with you?"

"I don't think so," Julia said as there were bars down at the end of the path. She put the wand back and once the bars were gone she told her sister, "It said it was just like the one Harry saw in the book."

Eliza nodded and said, "It wasn't real."

"Nope," Julia said while they were walking around the corner. She saw the door at the end and froze when she heard the bars closing behind them and then a skeletal arm coming through the door.

"Was this in the book?" Jim asked as Julia was rushing over to the screen. He watched with the others as she tapped on the screen and then took the wand to give to her sister, whispering in her ear before a look of resolute determination appeared on the little girl's face.

" _Colloportus_!" Eliza said firmly before the door slammed shut to her squeal of pleasure and she let Alexis take the wand to put back so they could try the other side of the path. She felt a hand on her shoulder and slightly jumped before she looked up at her mother with a smile.

"Good job," Beckett said.

"Thanks," Eliza replied. "Jules told me how to say it."

"I thought she might have," Beckett commented before they came around another corner and stopped when they found a mechanical spider wide enough to block their way.

"What're you going to do?" Castle asked Julia as she went over to the screen they were near.

"This," the girl said, taking the wand and then going to her big sister.

"I didn't answer the question," Alexis said.

"What did Hermione cast on Neville?" Julia said simply.

With a smile Alexis turned to the spider and said, " _Petrificus Totalus_ ," before the spider froze and it disappeared into the ground.

"I don't remember that happening in the movie," Castle said before they were moving on.

"I don't mind," Martha said. "That was a disgusting spider." She glanced at Eliza and then Josie; the latter fast asleep; before she said, "You didn't mind?" to the former.

"No, spiders are kay. Dementors are scary," Eliza said firmly. They were going through the maze a little more before they could see the middle of it and she squealed saying, "We're there!"

"Yes, but it looks like you need to cut through the maze," Jim said as there were bands of the hedge at the entrance.

"You don't," Julia said, already at the screen. She studied the question for a moment and thought before she said, "Ah!" eagerly and put the answer in. She took the wand and was about to cast the spell she needed to when she paused and looked at her family behind her.

"You can do it," Eliza said.

"She's right, like Skye said you are the biggest Harry Potter fan out of all of us," Martha said.

Opening her mouth to protest Julia paused and then thought that over before she nodded and said, "Okay," before she turned to the hedge. " _Relashio_!" she said as she pointed the wand. She hurried to get it back into its compartment before she went with her family into the middle. "Oh cool, they have the trophy," she told the others as it was sitting on a pedestal in the center of the area.

"Should we take it?" Castle asked. "You risk that being a portkey."

"It's not Dad," Julia said, giving him a brief look before she reached out to touch the trophy before she was jumping away at the sound of a door opening. "Cool," she said with a smile before she went through the door with her sisters.

"Is there more?" Martha asked her son and daughter in law once they were in a room inside the hotel.

"There are a couple more things, and then we're heading to the pool," Castle commented.

"Where are we eating?" Jim asked.

"Here," Beckett began.

"What?" Castle asked as he looked at her.

Before she could answer Beckett took Josie out of her carrier as the baby was fussing and placing her against her shoulder said, "We're still going to Citywalk?"  
"You didn't want to?" Castle replied.

"We'll have less time to swim," Jim guessed as he and Martha had been listening to them.

"I don't think they'll mind," Castle said. "But there's a bigger problem, how are we going to convince them not to wear their robes when we go out."

"We'll try," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband laughed, and she pressed her lips to Josie's temple, watching the doorway as their friends and family started coming through the end of the maze.


	18. Not Thinking What To Do (Part 2)

"Wow," Julia said, looking around. "It looks just like it did in the movies," she breathed out.

"Yeah," Mari said. She then looked at her friend and said, "Think there are house elves underneath us?"

Julia glanced at her and they both started laughing at the same time before her mother was walking over to them. "Oh… can't I eat with my robes on? I'll be really careful."

"We're all taking them off to eat," Beckett said firmly. "Come on, I know you guys are hungry."

Sighing, Julia followed her mother back out into the entry of the buffet that was made to look like the Great Hall of Hogwarts. She took off her robes and gave them to her father who was handing them over to the coat check that was next to the entrance. "We can wear these to Citywalk right?" she asked.

"I told you we'd try," Beckett replied to the look that her husband gave her. She then took Eliza's hand as the little girl was starting to run and then picked her up, studying her for a moment before she was speaking.

"Sorry Mommy," Eliza said earnestly. "But I'm hungry."

"I know but we're going together," Beckett told her firmly. "If I put you down will you walk?" When the little girl nodded she set her on the ground and let her go with the other kids before they walked into the dining room.

"We're sitting at one of the tables, right?" Castle asked as there were four long tables.

"If you want us to separate by houses I'm going to be all by myself," Mary commented.

"Yes, we're at one table," Beckett said, glancing at her husband. "But we're picking-"

"The Ravenclaw one!" Julia and Mari said together.

"Is that because it's your house or it's by the food?" Eve asked them.

When the two girls frowned the others were laughing before they joined in as they walked over to the table that was by the food served buffet style. As soon as they had ordered their drinks the families were heading to the entrees, looking over what there was together before they split up and began to take food on their gold plates.

"Are these real?" Julia asked her mother as she was studying her plate she held.

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "But they do look a lot like the ones in the movies." She wasn't surprised when Julia nodded and asked, "Want some bangers and mash?"

"Is it that?" the girl asked as she was nodding. "They're not together."

"You're supposed to make it," Castle said. "Here's some beef Wellington, split this piece with me and your mom?" he asked the girls. When they nodded he took a larger slice of the dish and then said, "We need some bubble and squeak of course," as he then dished out the potatoes and cabbage on their plates.

"No black pudding," Eliza said then, wrinkling her nose as they came to that next.

"No, but how about Welsh rarebit?" Castle asked.

"Smaller pieces love," Beckett told her husband as their daughters were nodding early to that dish. "Girls I'm giving you roasted potatoes but only a little bit; and some vegetables. I want you to eat both."

"What's that Mommy?" Eliza asked as they moved to the next set of dishes and she spotted one she had never seen before.

"Toad in the hole," Beckett read for them, smiling when the little girl giggled. "We have bangers and mash now, but we'll get that next time to share together okay?"

"Let's go," Castle said as he saw Julia was still looking at the desserts; though she had glanced at the toad in the hole. "Believe me we'll look at those closely once we have some fruit."

"Yeah," Julia said before she shook herself and then hurried after her family, being careful of her full plate before she sat down next to her sister with their father on Eliza's other side and Beckett on the other side of him.

"All this looks really good," Castle said.

"It does," Brad said.

"Smashing," Brennan said jokingly.

"Like being back home," Clara added as the others had laughed slightly.

"Wait until we try it," Skye said wryly. She ate some of her Welsh rarebit and said, "Ah, they've done their homework."

"Do you eat this food all the time?" Iris asked shyly, she and her twin flanking their mother.

"At home," Ivy was quick to add.

"No, we eat a lot of California cuisine," Mary said before her wife could answer.

"Hopefully you like veggies," Kathleen said.

"Mummy and Mommy make them taste good," Fleur said before she smiled at her mother.

"Just like they've done here," Skye said, smiling at her three oldest daughters across the table. "Eat up you two," she then directed to the twins on either side of her.

Julia, having been listening to them, was relishing her food as it tasted perfect and she only wished she could wear her robes. She then felt her mother touch her shoulder and looked at her in confusion saying, "What?"

"Put this on, I forgot to give it to you," Beckett said.

"My pin!" Julia said, taking her Head Girl pin. She put it on her shirt proudly and said, "So now I'm the Head Girl, I can say when we get dessert right?"

"You forget your parents are the older Head Boy and Girl," Martha said across the table.

"Maybe next year you'll be the oldest," Alexis said.

"Maybe," Julia echoed before she smiled and then went back to eating. "Mom," she said when she and the others were nearly finished with their first plates. "Could I try the _tikka masala_?"

"Sure, but it might be spicy," Beckett said, warning her.

"Just a little bit," Julia said. When her mother nodded she smiled before they got up together since they were some of the first to finish. Walking back to the food she said to Eve and Mari who'd come over with Lily, "What do you think?"

"Great food but man I want to get to the desserts," the former said first. "Think they have stuff from Honeydukes?"

"They might not," Lily told her daughter. "They would want you to buy it in the park."

"Shoot," Eve said, pouting after.

"Here," Beckett said, handing a piece of toad in the hole to Julia. "I'll take some _tikka masala_ for myself and you can have a piece."

"Cool," Julia said. She followed her mother to the other dishes they hadn't gotten and she soon had some cottage pie, beef scouse; that Skye insisted they try; pease pudding and cauliflower cheese on her plate. She had more vegetables as well as some bubble and squeak since she liked both so much. When she and her mother were sitting; next to each other that time; she took the bit of chicken _tikka masala_ she was given.

Beckett watched her oldest closely as she was chewing her bite, wanting to make sure she would be alright as her right hand rested on the table to be prepared to grab her goblet of pumpkin juice. But while Julia was swallowing she was relieved she was soon smiling before the girl was letting her know what she thought of the dish while she was taking her goblet herself.

"It's a little spicy but I like it," Julia said with a smile. "But I only want that one piece."

"That's fine," Beckett said, watching her carefully to make sure she was okay. But when her daughter ate the food on her plate without a problem she smiled and turned her attention back to her food. When they were finishing their plates, she stopped hers and Castle's daughters from asking about the dessert before she and her husband went to get some fruit for them.

"That was good," Eliza said, eating the last strawberry her father had given her. "And I ate my fruit!"  
"We're going now," Beckett said in amusement, shaking her head.

"Definitely because I want to try out some of that treacle tart," Castle said as they were getting up after their girls had done so.

"Can I try that too?" Julia asked.

"Let's do what've done at the buffets before," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"That's just so we can get more," Beckett said jokingly. She squeezed his hand and said, "Yes we can do that."

"Great, are you getting a plate too?" Castle asked her when they were where the gold plates were stacked.

"See if we need two," Beckett said, giving her husband a look.

Nodding, Castle took one dish and then headed over to the desserts before he took the treacle tart first thing. Once he had a piece that was big enough for the four of them to share he looked at the girls, not surprised when they looked back at him in confusion. He was about to tell them they needed to pick when Julia was speaking with a smile.

"Are you sure you want us to pick?" the girl said.

"Ooh, smart aleck," Castle said in exaggeration, lightly pinching her cheek. He smiled when the girls laughed and said, "Seriously, pick. But we'll let you know if you should pick something else. One thing though."

"We can get Eton mess," Julia said rapidly. "We want that too."  
"Thank you," Castle replied, getting a slightly bigger portion of that. "What's next?"

"Why do they have apple pie?" Eliza asked them.

"They have that in England too," Julia said. "It's in the first book." She looked thoughtful before she said, "I think at the first feast Harry ever has at Hogwarts." She then looked to their father and said, "Can we get other stuff though?"

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a smile. "Here's some trifle."

"Get that," Eliza said eagerly. She then looked at the next item and said, "What's that?"

"Banoffe pie," Beckett said as she was reading the description. "It has bananas, cream and toffee."

"Let's try it," Julia said as it looked good. She then glanced at the next item and said, "They have strawberries and cream!"  
"I remember that, can we get it?" Eliza asked earnestly.

"We can," Beckett said. "And that's it, we're filling the plate," she said while she gave her husband a slight look so he wouldn't start talking about a second plate.

"I think it's a good variety," Castle said quickly before they were walking to the table. "And luckily we're going to be doing a lot of exercising afterwards so we can enjoy all of this."

Beckett wasn't surprised when their daughters started to ask eagerly what they were going to be doing next. She was able to quiet them down so they could begin eating and she only said, "You'll enjoy it." She shared a smile with her husband as the girls pouted but didn't say anything else, turning their attention with the two to their sweets.

* * *

"What's this one called?" Eliza said.

"You can read," Julia told her teasingly. She stuck her tongue out at her sister when she did so to her before she said, "It says Fright of Stares."

"Ooh," Eliza said before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at her mother and said, "How many are left?"

"Just this one and the last," Beckett said.

"Then we have to leave?" Eliza asked sadly. She was with her family at the mini-golf course that was at Citywalk. She and the other kids had spotted it as they were walking around and had begged their families to go there instead of the movie and they had agreed before they played the two themed courses.

"We do," Martha answered as she checked on Josie who was fast asleep in her carrier. "But remember tomorrow where we're going."

"Yep," Julia said happily. "Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade." She turned to her mother and said, "I can't wait."

"Neither can I," Beckett said, running her hand over the back of her daughter's head. She straightened the hood of her Ravenclaw robes she was wearing again and said, "But you need to sleep."

"Yeah," Julia said with a smile. "I'll tell Mari to remind me."

"Good idea," Beckett said with a slight laugh as Eliza was taking her shot up onto the ramp that led into the spooky house they were in front of. She went with the little girl, Castle and Julia to the room 'inside' the house before they saw her golf ball rolling to the left of the hole before it stopped a bit away from it. "Close," she told the little girl.

"Yeah, do I have to wait?" Eliza asked.

"You should," Beckett said with a nod. She went back out with the others to watch as Julia took her turn and she went next as Alexis and Louis had gone elsewhere at Citywalk. After she had hit it she went over by the house before Castle was hitting his in. her father went last; Martha having declined so she could watch Josie; and they hit their golf balls into the hole so they could move on to the last one.

"Scary," Eliza said with a giggle to her father as they were essentially in the dark.

"I know, let's see what we have to do," Castle said, studying the spinning tower in front of them. He watched as Brennan hit his golf ball through the arch in the mesh surrounding the tower and he said, "I think that takes the ball and leaves it over there," as they peered around the wall.

"Ooh! That was good," Eliza said eagerly as Brennan's golf ball shot out and went into the hole.

"Got lucky," the man said. "Good luck," he told them. "We'll be outside the course."  
"We're going back to the hotel," Beckett said quickly.

"So are we, got to get some rest for the Wizarding World tomorrow," Clara said as she and Erin were standing at the exit.

Saying goodbye to them, Beckett turned to Eliza and said, "Hurry so we can see how this goes."

The little girl nodded and then hurried over to the tee mat before she carefully hit her golf ball before it smacked the mesh and she giggled before looking at her family.

"Hit it in," Jim said. "We're not keeping score."

Eliza giggled and then hit it in, waiting to see it going up the metal coil before it was moving to a conveyor belt and going up it and then to a metal path before traveling down a spiral. She held her breath as it disappeared into a machine before a sign lit up saying _it's alive_ before her golf ball came out near the hole and she looked at her family with a smile as it was close enough for her to hit in if they let her.

"Go ahead," Castle said before she was standing aside with her flashing golf ball in her hand. He watched Julia and then his wife go, both doing well, before he went and he laughed when the girls applauded him as his golf ball went straight into the hole. "Luck," he said to Beckett once he had joined her and the girls.

"That was good Daddy," Eliza said, hugging him tightly. "And you're wearing your robes."  
"I know, so I did really good." Castle said, picking her up after Beckett had taken her club. He kissed her cheek and said, "How was it today?"  
"Fun, those games were so great Dad," Julia said after they had applauded Jim's hole in one. "But I really can't wait to see everything."

"I don't blame you," Beckett said as they left the building to walk out to where Martha was with Josie and the others who'd golfed before them.

"Do we have to go back now?" Julia said.

"We'll see what the music is," Beckett replied as Castle was looking at her. She wasn't surprised when her oldest held her hand tightly and she knew that night would get even better for her daughter as Julia was dancing already while they left the course to see what was going on in Citywalk.

* * *

"Mari?"

"What?"

"Are you asleep? Were you asleep?" Julia asked, changing her question quickly when she realized what she was saying at first.

"Nope," Mari began. "Think Erin's asleep?"

Raising her head from their bed, Julia looked at the bunk bed near them and said, "I think she is."

"It's not too late," Mari stated.

Getting up, Julia reached to the nightstand and grabbed her phone before checking saying, "It's not even nine yet." She sighed and said, "We gotta get up so early though."

"It'll be worth it," Mari said, sitting up herself and hugging her friend.

Julia did her best not to laugh and then embraced her back before she said, "I know, I just don't feel too tired." She glanced at Erin again and said, "We better lay down."

Mari nodded and joined her saying, "You had a good idea."

Smiling Julia said, "We have an extra room, why not?" When they had gone to the suite she realized that she, Mari and Erin could share the spare bedroom so she'd asked her parents while her friend and cousin had asked theirs. Luckily they had agreed, but her grandfather had told her that he'd be able to hear them talking. And since she could see the light in the living room was still on she knew they'd need to whisper. "But I feel bad about Erin," she finally said.

Mari opened her mouth to speak when she heard the door open and they looked together to the doorway to see it was Martha.

"It's my fault Gram," Julia said quickly, keeping her voice quiet so she wouldn't wake up Erin. "I'm not tired."

"I know," Martha replied with a smile as she walked over to the bed. "But you need to try and sleep at least. You won't be able to cast any spells."  
Julia laughed with Mari, both covering their mouths with their hands, before she calmed down and said, "We'll try Gram."

"Thank you, goodnight," Martha said, waiting for them to settle down on the mattress.

Waiting until the door was closed behind her grandmother, Julia said with a sigh, "I guess that's it."

"Yeah," Mari said. "Think you can fall asleep now?"

"You too," Julia replied with a smile. She giggled softly when her friend pinched her, and she said, "Just think, we're going to the Wizarding World tomorrow."

"I remember," Mari said in mock annoyance before she smiled at her. "Night Julia."

"Night Mari," she replied. Settling on her back, Julia closed her eyes in the hope that she would be able to sleep soon and hoping she would get enough rest for their excursion the next day.

* * *

Holding up his robes, Castle quickly folded them and put them on top of the arm of the couch he was standing at. He then looked up and said, "Hey," to his wife who was walking out with her robes in hand.

"Hey," Beckett said. When her husband looked at her questioningly she quickly she said, "Listen, will you do something for me?"

"Sure," Castle said quickly, wondering what was wrong with her.

Beckett smiled at him, to assure him that it wasn't anything serious, and said, "Promise that we won't do anything sexual with those?"

"Oh no, not even a chance," Castle said, going to her and taking her robes. "It's a little gross thinking of doing that since the girls love playing Harry Potter with those." He paused for a moment as he was putting her robes on the arm of the couch and then said, "They'll want us to wear them."

"Most likely," Beckett said, smiling as he walked over to her. She was about to wrap her arms around him when she heard her phone on the table suddenly sounding her text alert noise. "I hope that's not Dad or Martha," she told her husband before she hurried to get it.

"Is it?" Castle said as he stood with her.

"No, it was an e-mail," Beckett said with a frown.

"Bad?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "More confusion; it's from Stella." She wasn't surprised when her husband's eyes widened, and she said, "She wants me to model her fall collection in DC."

"With Skye," Castle said.

Beckett smiled at the guess and said, "Yeah."

"Will you?" Castle asked.

Taking a deep breath, Beckett was about to speak before she stopped and then sat down at the table. "To be honest," she finally told him as he brought a chair over to her to sit next to her. "I don't know if I want to go back to modeling."  
"It's your choice," Castle said firmly.

"I realize that," Beckett said with a slight smile. She leaned back and said, "You'd want to go if I did, wouldn't you?"  
"Yes," Castle said quickly. "But if you said no I wouldn't mind. You can model for me in our room."

"Without or without clothes?" Beckett asked him. When he raised and lowered his eyebrows a few times she rolled her eyes; though she was smiling; and then told him, "Pervert." She was going to speak again about the modeling offer when there was a knock on the door and she looked at her husband before going over to it and opening it once she'd checked who was there. She was going to tell them to go away; jokingly; when they were talking before her, responding to what she hadn't even said yet.

"I knew you'd gotten it," Skye said with a smile.

"Come in," Beckett said, shaking her head as she smiled at the same time. "Did you get a copy?"

"No, a separate e-mail," Skye replied. "Hey," she said to Castle who was sitting on an armchair.

"Hey, why aren't you asleep?" he said.

"I could ask the same of you, but I know you're waiting for your wife to reply to that request," the investigator said.

"Why, did Stella send you a separate e-mail?" Beckett asked when her husband and friend looked at her at nearly the same time.

"Because she told me why she wants us both to model this collection," Skye replied. "And it's not the full collection but a few pieces each, so you know."  
Nodding Beckett then said, "Then why?"

"Two reasons," Skye replied. "First off because she likes the idea that we were sisters in our past lives."

"Who told her about that?" Castle asked in surprise.

"I told her father," Skye said. "Paul wondered how we were so much like sisters if we only knew each for five years."

"It's been that long," Beckett said with a smile. When the investigator nodded she shook herself and said, "What's the second reason?"

"She has some scarves in her collection, so she wants to do a close up with just them and our eyes in color," Skye explained, smiling at the frown she had expected soon appearing on her friend's face.

"Then shouldn't she be asking you and Mary?" Beckett asked.

"We were sisters," Skye said firmly. "Don't forget that. Also, Mary doesn't want to."

"Alright," Beckett said after thinking things over for a minute. "I'll answer her now," she said absently as she was on her phone. She wrote a quick reply to the e-mail and then said to her friend, "I'm surprised you're eager to do this."

"Oh, I'm not eager," Skye said, walking to the door. She paused before she opened it and turned around saying, "It's more the outfits; she's letting us keep what we wear."

" _Your wife_?" Beckett asked in Russian.

"You really get to keep them?" Castle asked as Skye was just smiling in response to whatever his wife had asked.

"We do, there's an attachment by the by," the investigator said as she was opening the door. "Would be a great idea to check it out."

"Yours is different?" Beckett asked. When her friend nodded and stepped out into the hall she said goodnight to Skye with Castle before the investigator responded in turn before she closed and locked the door. "Hold on," she told her husband as she saw he was looking at her. "I'd like to look at this myself first."

"Yeah, go ahead," Castle said quickly though he was impatient to see what she'd be wearing.

"Four looks," Beckett said as she was studying the picture. "Plus, two scarves." She breathed out and looked up at her husband saying, "They're nice love," before she gestured to him and wasn't surprised when he jumped up and rushed over to her.

Taking the phone, Castle studied the outfits and scarves for a moment before he said, "They look nice."

"But?" Beckett prompted as she knew there was more to it than that.

"They're not on you," Castle said. He smiled when she did as she took back her phone and he kissed the side of her head before he wrapped his arms around her.

Beckett was relieved she'd managed to get her phone into her pocket as her husband was kissing her roughly on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself close before they were dueling against one another. She could feel his hands roaming over her back rapidly as they were a little frantic in their kisses until they slowly parted. "We should… we should go into the room," she told him, having to start over as she was nearly breathless.

Thinking for a moment, Castle hurriedly bent down and picked up his wife to her cry of surprise before he took her into the bedroom. Once he set her down in front of the bed he said, "How much time do we have?"

" _Is féidir linn a bheith tapaidh_ ," Beckett said, telling him they could be quick.

Shuddering in pleasure, Castle then said, " _Arís agus arís eile_?" which meant the word repeatedly.

Leaning against him a little more than she was already, Beckett just barely brushed her lips against his and said, "Of course."

"Good," Castle said, grabbing her before he crushed his lips against hers. He wanted to let that last, but he couldn't ignore what they had to come and he slowly pulled away shortly after. With his wife watching him he slowly ran his hands over her sides, holding her by her waist before he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly before he proceeded to unbutton her blouse slowly as he stared into her eyes.

"Rick, I…" Beckett began to say, suddenly breathless at the way his blue eyes had nearly blackened in front of her.

" _Tabharfaim aire duitse_ ," Castle said huskily, telling her he would take care of her.

" _Déanfaidh mé mar a gcéanna duitse_ ," Beckett said, which meant she would do the same for him.

Castle couldn't help kissing his wife before he slowly moved away and reached up to her shoulders. He slid his hands onto them under her blouse and carefully pushed it off that way before he ran down her arms before she was taking off the blue fabric. "Are-" he was about to say when she reached for his shirt. "You answered that for me," he said with a smile though he was quickly helping her in unbuttoning.

"I don't think I can wait," Beckett said. "We have time."

Nodding his head, Castle said, "But not if we take too long with this."  
Beckett smiled and said simply, "Pervert." She then kissed him sensuously and pulled off his shirt which was open at the same time. She helped him with her jeans and then with his before he was moving her to the bed and laying her down in the middle. "Only a few steps to the bed…" she told him teasingly.

"I know, I like to work out," Castle said, running his hand around her leg until he was at the inside of her thigh. He rubbed up and down a few times before he said, "What the hell were we talking about?"

"I don't think it matters," Beckett said with a slight gasp as she wasn't unaffected by his touch. "Oh… please," she moaned when he gently brushed his fingers against her sex through her panties. "Wait," she told him quickly, sitting up and hurriedly reaching behind her. When her husband swiftly took over removing her bra, she smiled and said, "You've become an expert."

"I have to… be," Castle said slowly as he was pulling away the silk and lace from her, staring outright at her breasts.

"Maybe I should have kept them covered?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"No," Castle said vehemently. When his wife smirked at him he said, "I can't help it."  
"I'm glad, now though…" Beckett said, reaching down to him rapidly.

Though he was going to stop her, Castle found he couldn't really make the effort and he looked on as she pushed his boxers down as far as they went. Since the elastic was squeezing him by the time she stopped he scrambled off the bed and took them off before he turned to her and saw she was on her knees on the edge. "Was it enough of a show?" he asked, getting on the bed with her.

"It was," Beckett said, looking down in between them. "It was interesting to see that move." She wasn't surprised when he nearly launched himself at her, kissing her passionately as soon as their lips met. Her panties were nearly torn off her and she gasped as her husband then moved to her neck. She tilted her head back and felt his lips against her skin, nibbling and kissing until he was pausing at the hollow of her throat. "You can," she moaned to him, hoping wildly for a moment that he would.

Castle spent nearly a minute debating himself if he should bow his head slightly and take her breasts with his mouth. He then pulled back and shook his head saying, "This is for you right now."

"For us both," Beckett said firmly.

"It will be," Castle replied with a brief nod before he moved and pushed his body down the bed a little bit. He kissed at her abdomen a few times before he moved lower, reaching her sex. He paused for a moment there, staring at her and feeling his mouth water more and more before he bowed his head and gently licked at her clit once. When his wife let out a heavy cry he couldn't stop the smile that broke out on his face and he was quick to continue on her.

Nearly screaming, Beckett reached down to her husband's head as he was lapping at her clit almost hungrily. She moved her left hand away and reached up to the pillow under her head to hold onto the side of it while the nails of her other were scraping against his scalp. She felt him shuddering and his mouth was as well, making her hiss through his clenched teeth. "Rick… fast, I want to fucking…" she started to say as she was moving on the bed.

Castle was tempted to ask what she wanted but since she had literally commanded him to go fast he was speeding up. He used his fingers as well, switching with them repeatedly as he knew she loved until she broke, and he had to hold her down hard while she was writhing in her ecstasy until he felt her become still.

"You don't need to," Beckett moaned as he was delicately licking at her sex.

Not stopping, Castle moved only when he was finished and he lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her. He was suddenly breathing hard as his wife had flipped him onto his back and he said, "I want it quick too," as she was smiling at him and literally taking his breath away.

"Then you will," Beckett said simply before she reached down as she straddled his lap at the same time. She gently ran her hands down his chest before she caressed him and said, "But I get to explore a little."

"Please," Castle breathed out to her on an exhale as she was fondling his nipples.

Beckett bit back a smile while she was starting to move at the same time, kissing over his chest until she reached his stomach. She gently took his erection to lift it off his skin, slipping the tip into her mouth before she slid down until she reversed and paused back at the top. She rubbed at him with her tongue before she started to work over him a little more deliberately and rapidly. Hearing his vocal reactions to her spurred her on to work much harder, reaching up with her right hand to start pleasuring him below his length when she felt his hand on her head.

Though he knew he was risking hurting his wife, Castle couldn't stop himself from caressing her locks. Feeling the nearly silken tresses under his palm and fingers he realized what he was doing wasn't a distraction; as he'd hoped; but instead helping him out. He tried to stop himself and then outright stop her when she slapped his hand away from her shoulder. "Kate," he managed to gasp before he was suddenly climaxing, his pleasure diverting him from the thought he'd been far too swift. And since his wife wasn't stopping he let that worry go gladly as she was caressing his skin around his erection while he came. When he slowly relaxed and could focus on something other than the heady jolts of electricity going through his body, he reached down to Beckett and literally hauled her up to him, kissing her fiercely on the lips. He kept that up for as long as he could before he pulled away and used the slight distraction of her catching her breath before flipping her onto her back. He stared at her while she was doing the same back to him, and they remained like that for some time before she reached up to caress his cheek and she told him what they both wanted in a heavily seductive voice that made him shudder in joy inwardly.

"Fuck me lover," Beckett said before her husband was leaning down to her and kissing her as hard as he could in response. She could feel his desire in his lips as well as in his body and she responded to him in turn, needing him desperately after pleasuring him the way she had. Finally, he pulled away from her and she waited for him anxiously, crying out his name in bliss as he slid inside her. When his hips were soon meeting her own she wrapped her legs tightly around him, high up around his waist until she felt him moving. He wasn't thrusting and when she could discern he was lunging his legs against her she begged him, "Fuck me now, please!"

Hearing the need in his wife's voice, Castle had no trouble beginning to move, thrusting hard immediately. At the pure pleasure in her voice he was spurred to try and go faster though he was soon at his limit. But he could tell Beckett didn't care, her hips moving the best they could and their skin slapping erotically in the room. He kissed her on the lips, only briefly, before he was reaching up with his right hand.

It didn't take long for Beckett to feel her husband touching her thigh and she gasped out, "You can s-slap me if you want."

"No," was all that Castle said before he was suddenly moving her around, so she was on her knees again. He held her by the small of her back, having to help her move with him so they could go quickly and keep up the friction between their bodies. He kissed her for a while; another reason why he'd moved; until she was breaking things off and stopping them both before she commanded him for a second time that night.

"You need to hit me," Beckett said. She then frowned and said with a sigh, "That doesn't sound right."

"Smack you?" Castle said before he cringed. "Wait, we forgot what we usually use," he told her. When she smiled he said, "You did that on purpose."

"I did, slap my ass Rick," Beckett told him. When he shuddered she smirked and said, "If you think you can." She cried out when he suddenly pulled her off him and nearly threw her down onto the bed on her stomach. She had been able to figure out what he was going to do, so him slapping her firmly but not too hard was not a surprise but she still let out a cry in response. He did that a few more times before she was suddenly tensing up when his lips were kissing her ass where he'd hit. "And you just want the chance to do that," she said back to him though her voice was a little distorted in her pleasure at his touch.

"I think we both benefit from that," Castle replied easily, caressing her. He kissed her ass a few more times before he sat up and said, "We should continue."

"Yes," Beckett said, turning swiftly onto her back and reaching out for her husband to pull him down to her. As soon as he was inside her again she wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly before he was thrusting, and she cried, "Make me come love, please!" as he was immediately making her feel pleasure again. She took his kiss he suddenly gave her before he was going harder against her and she was breaking before she could warn him. She could only chant his name in a near scream at first as her ecstasy was overpowering and when he began to climax as well she was digging her nails into his back, holding onto her consciousness as everything nearly became too much. But finally, she was slowing down before stopping and she took in the sensation of her husband's rough, frantic thrusts until he was still above her, breathing heavily against her neck.

Nuzzling his nose against her neck when he had calmed down enough Castle murmured her name against her skin before he said, "All of that was good right?"

Beckett couldn't help laughing as her husband raised her head before she said, "You don't have to ask for more."

"Are you sure?" Castle said. When she suddenly flexed her muscles around his length he groaned and was about to thrust against her again when she squeezed his left shoulder hard to stop him.

"I want something else," Beckett told him, not surprised when he was looking at her in confusion.

"Okay," Castle said slowly.

Beckett gently pressed her husband's shoulders, so he got off her and she told him while they were on their knees, "Fuck me against the post?"

For a moment Castle wasn't sure he would be able to speak before he calmed down enough to say, "Quickly."

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling at him making that a statement and not a question.

Castle pretended to think that over before he moved, grabbing his wife and moving her off the bed before he went to the left post at the end of the bed. He watched as his wife held onto it and he frowned, not liking the way she was positioned there as she looked at him.

"It's alright, I just want to try it," Beckett said, able to quickly recognize the expression on his face. She laughed softly when he sighed and then told him, "You can touch me."

With her permission, Castle raced to do that though he was standing close already. He ran his hands down her back; so he wouldn't accidentally touch her breasts; and then cupped her ass again. "Okay, but are we sticking with this the whole time?"

For a moment Beckett thought before she said, "Let's see how things go. If we need the bed we're not far from it."

Brushing his lips across her shoulders and back Castle said, "I love the way you think." When he pulled away he carefully reached down to her and ran his hands around her waist and ass while she leaned over again. Stepping up close to her he touched her right arm, making him pull back on it before she was reaching behind her. He had to lead her to grasp his erection but with the way she held him he could tell she had wanted to do that. He did his best to help her, though she was affecting him again, and was soon inside of her sex, sliding through her as she was crying out and clutching at the post in front of her he could see.

"Oh… hurry," Beckett moaned as her husband remained still after he was within her fully.

"I just want to feel…" Castle breathed as he held her by her ass. "But I'll stop now," he said quickly as he forced himself to reach up to her waist and hold her by it. He began to thrust hard immediately, loving the way Beckett nearly screamed and staggered against the post. But she soon recovered, and he was left groaning to her as she was moving against him herself. He slowed down a bit in reaction to her but hurriedly recovered and was moving for a while before he suddenly got the urge for something, about to tell her when she was suddenly moaning his same idea out to him.

"Let me hold onto you," Beckett was saying. She was slightly startled when he was taking her arms as soon as she had said the word onto before she was wrapping them back around him. He had to stay still then, and she groaned saying, "I'm too short."

"You're perfect," Castle breathed to his wife as he reached down to her stomach, deciding he didn't need to pause before he went straight to her clit. "This is perfect," he told her before he gently began to rub at the swollen nub. He felt her jerking against him every time he did that, and he sucked on the junction of her neck and shoulder at the same time.

"Wait! Stop," Beckett gasped as his left hand was caressing her side and reaching for her ass though he couldn't really reach it. "Let's go back to this because… I want you to come too."

Castle didn't really have to think that over, letting her go so she could grab onto the post again. Once he could see she was ready he started to thrust, rapidly again before he grasped onto her hips. "I hope this is good," he groaned out to her.

"You'll see me after this," Beckett was gasping. She felt her husband moving his hips and she cried out when she shortly after began to orgasm as he was getting in deeper and in a slightly different way. She pressed her cheek against the cool wood of the post when she began to feel her husband was joining her. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly at the sensation that added to the seemingly unending waves of joy that filled her. She was disappointed when she eventually stopped, and she sighed though she was still feeling him moving in her.

When things had ceased for him, Castle was still though nearly staggering against her as he was throbbing nearly painfully. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her before he said, "Can we again?"

"Pervert," Beckett told him in amusement though she was throbbing herself. She groaned slightly in disappointment when he pulled out of her and she said, "But yes." She stepped away from him as he reached for her and smiled saying, "I'm not going to make it that easy for you."

"Are you going to slap me? Please," Castle begged her.

Beckett just nodded to the bed, watching as he hurried over to it and laid down on his stomach. She was tempted to tease him a little by delaying joining him, but she found she couldn't do it and climbed up onto the mattress. "Rick," she said, leaning over him and kissing at his back. She could feel his skin jumping in response to her and she smiled for a moment before going lower and lower. She brushed her lips over his ass but only briefly before she was getting up onto her knees.

Glancing back at his wife, Castle hissed in surprise as her hand was slapping at him before he said, "Thank you."  
"You're welcome, again?" Beckett asked him with a smirk as he was clutching at the sheet underneath him. When he nodded she did it again and a third time without asking him before saying, "Alright, turn over."

"If you're going to slap the other side I should warn you-" Castle started to say.

"And damage this?" Beckett asked as she was curling her hand around his length and gently squeezing it. "I know how sensitive it is."

Gritting his teeth together tightly Castle couldn't respond verbally, but he was able to reach for her wrist and gently pulled it away before he was flipping her onto her back. When she wrapped her legs and arms about his body tightly he knew she was ready, and he proceeded to fuck her as rapidly as he could.

Beckett was lost in her pleasure since her husband was obviously doing the same and she found the utmost satisfaction when he orgasmed very shortly after her. When they'd both stopped she caressed his hair and said, "I told you no about the robes, but those clothes feel free."

Laughing Castle carefully pulled away from her and laid next to her saying, "We need to sleep?"

"Yeah," Beckett said, moving onto her stomach so she could look down at him. She couldn't help bending her knees to cross her legs at her ankles and ran her index finger over his lips. "But I did miss that."

"Me too," Castle replied, reaching up to take her hand and kiss it gently on her wrist and palm. "I hate having to stop but I am looking forward to tomorrow."  
Beckett leaned over and gently kissed her husband, intending to do that quickly but he grasped her by the backs of her shoulders. She responded eagerly to his deepening the kiss and their tongues were soon fighting together before they slowed down, and she drew back while her tongue remained with his though he was doing the same. "It's not that long until DC," she murmured to her husband, laying against his side to press close to him.

"I know, but it feels like forever," Castle said, running his fingers carefully through her hair. "Adare too," he added, wanting to hear her calling him pervert as he always loved her doing that.

"I love you," Beckett said seriously while they were staring at one another.

"I love you too," Castle said before they were coming together in yet another kiss, both knowing they weren't going to really be able to stop.

Kissing one another, both gently and slowly before they worked up to the point they were rough and passionate, Castle and Beckett spent the rest of their time awake to feel each other in that way. They caught their breath when they needed to, whispering and caressing each other until they started up again. When they stopped to sleep their lips were pleasantly throbbing and they were wrapped up in each other's arms under the bed sheet.

As they were eventually nodding off together they both had a bit of a struggle turning their attention to the park they were at. But they wanted to spend as much time as they could with their family and friends. They let their intimacy influence their dreams, letting that satisfy them before they'd wake up to be tourists once more in the morning.


	19. Really Knock Me Out

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: The wands that I mention in this chapter are real and I got them from the Universal Studios Orlando merchandise website so if anyone wants to see them they're on that site.

A/N #2: I was happy to receive what I did for the last chapter, so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank you for that! TORONTOSUN (It was great that you liked how everyone is always learning with this chapter!).

Thanks so much for the review, I loved reading it as usual and appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way!

A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Back in the U.S.S.R._ by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles eponymous album.

Really Knock Me Out

"Sweetie let go of my hand," Beckett told her daughter.

"Why?" Julia asked in surprise.

Beckett smiled and said, "You're squeezing it a little hard."

"Oh, sorry," Julia said, realizing she was doing that. She then smiled and said, "I'm really excited."

"Especially since we're in the park now," Castle commented.

"We're going to get our wands first thing, right?" Julia asked hopefully.

"Yes, but you have yours already," Castle said.

"I know, I meant you guys," Julia said in a rush. She then looked ahead of them as they were walking around a lake before she could see the buildings for the land in the distance.

"What's first?" Skye asked.

"The wands and seriously, you guys can say where we'll go," Beckett said to them.

"Sure," David said. "But you guys have been to these lands before."

"Oh… I didn't think we would be asked as well," Skye said with a smile. "Well yes, the wands are first."

After they had entered the Harry Potter section, Julia rushed over to Mari and took her hand saying, "Remember?"

"Yep, it's almost the same," the girl said. "But look at the dragon."

Since it was expelling fire at that same moment the kids were very quickly expressing their awe before they were walking down to the building that was marked as Ollivander's Wand Shop and heading inside quickly before they split up by families. Julia had grabbed her mother's hand when Beckett stopped her from pulling her to the wall of wands and spoke to her gently but firmly as well to calm her down.

"We'll let you pick out our wands sweetie but take it easy; they're not going anywhere," Beckett told her.

"Sorry, I'm excited," Julia said, slightly bashfully.

"I know," Beckett said, squeezing her hand gently. "Alright, now that you're a little calmer what are we getting?"  
Julia went over to the wands immediately and looked over everything before she paused and said, "Mom, this is for you."

Beckett wasn't surprised to see that it was an interactive Hermione replica wand and she said to her husband, "She wasn't kidding."

"Of course not," Castle said in amusement as Julia was handing him the interactive replica of Harry Potter's wand. "Thank you."

"They fit you," Julia said firmly. She then turned to her grandparents and said, "Are you sure you won't get one?"

"I'd prefer to use yours," Jim said with a smile as his granddaughters had asked him that already.

Sighing Julia said, "Okay…" as she turned to find that her parents had gone to pay. She went over to Josie in her carrier and said, "You'll get a wand too when you're grown up. I don't know what it'll be yet, but it'll be cool too." She smiled when the baby did so to her and she leaned over, pressing her lips to her forehead before she waited for their parents to come back to them.

"Alright, we're ready," Beckett said as she let Eliza take the box her wand was in. "It's empty sweetie, I have mine in my pocket."

"Can I see it?" Eliza asked.

Handing it over Beckett smiled as the little girl waved the wand and she said, "Maybe we should try the stuff outside."

"Yeah, I think we should," Castle said as he was looking at the map that had come with their wands. "But what about everyone else?"

"Brennan's buying theirs," Alexis said as she walked over to them. She smiled when Eliza handed her the box she was holding, and she gave it back to her stepmother.

"What did they get?" Julia asked interestedly.

"We should wait until we finish and are outside before we talk about that," Castle commented. "There'll be a lot of wands."

After texting some of the other phones they'd be in front of the shop, Beckett stepped out and said, "Are we going to try out our wands first or go on the rides?"

"Maybe we should try out our wands," Skye said as she, Mary and their daughters stepped outside first. "Marie and Kath are eager for their sisters to try theirs out."  
"And yours," the twins said together.

Laughing with the others Skye said, "Alright, but you have to remember the other kids haven't been to one of these."

"Mari was," Julia said rapidly.

"Good point, then besides her…" the investigator said with a smile.

Eventually everyone stepped out to rejoin the group and once they were together Julia was speaking with a wide smile on her face.

"Should we hold our wands up in the air?" the girl asked.

"That's a bit dark," Erin said in protest. When everyone looked at her she explained, "Isn't that for a tribute?"

"Oh," Julia said slowly as she wondered how she could have forgotten that from the books. "Then I just want to see what everyone got."

"Hold on," Castle said. "This'll take a while, there are a lot that haven't been seen yet."

"Are we just saying?" Brad asked.

"Go ahead," Castle said to his friend in amusement as he was pulling his wand from his robes.

"Actually, we should go in order," Skye said suddenly. She smiled as the chief looked at her and told them all, "More orderly."

"You're speaking from experience as an IIC?" Lily asked.

"Absolutely. Rick, Kate?" the investigator asked them.

"We just got Harry and Hermione's wands," Beckett said, holding up hers while Castle was doing the same with his next to her. She noticed; after letting Julia take her wand and then Castle's to show to everyone; that a few of the parents were glancing at them. "What is it?" she asked them.

"I think," Mary began. "We can all agree that's the best choice for you two."

"So we're Harry and Hermione?" Castle asked.

"Sure," Skye said with a laugh.

"These are so cool," Eve said, holding the wands up together.

"They are," Castle said with a nod, his having what appeared to be bark at the bottom and Beckett's having a vine of leaves wrapping around hers. "Alexis?" he said to his daughter.

About to open her mouth to say she didn't need to show everyone Alexis recalled the kids would want to see it who hadn't already, so she got it out of her robe pocket and said, "It's Hawthorn."

"What's the meaning behind that one?" Rebecca asked.

"I have intense family ties and I'm highly protective about people I care for," Alexis began. She then glanced at her father and stepmother and continued saying, "The information about the wand says I should remember that relationships connect us to the future and the past."

"That should have been yours," Skye said to Beckett teasingly.

Shrugging she said, "Your turn next Julia."

"It's the same wand wood as Hermione's, vine," the girl said with a smile as she was holding hers.

"The meaning?" Mari asked her.

Julia said quickly, "It has to do with persistence and renewal and I have restless spirits and endless energy… That's the right word right Dad?"

"It is, and it said you're 'prone to burn the candle at both ends,'" Castle said. "And it advised you to learn to pace yourself and you'll have no end to achievements… Or something like that."

"That does work," Jacob said with a smile. "Which is good."

"'Cause of my dancing?" Julia asked.

"That'll help you in September," Skye said quickly as Eliza was holding up her wand.

"I have the same wand as Harry's," Eliza said.

"The wood is holly," Julia said quickly.

"It said that she makes a good leader and is thoughtful and loving," Beckett said when Eliza looked up at her. "Which isn't a surprise."

"I'm assuming it's my turn?" David asked as his daughter went to him and squeezed his hand tightly. "Well, this is Draco Malfoy's wand."

"And I have Ginny's," Rebecca said quickly as some of the kids looked surprised. "She doesn't mind them together," she explained, nodding to Mari who was smiling. "Go ahead and tell them your wand; we'll be here all day."

"I know," the girl said with a smile. "I've got a hazel wood wand. And…"

"I've got it," Castle said, getting his phone to see the description for the wood. "She's wise beyond her years, would be an inspiring teacher and it tells her to make sure she takes the time to share her gift with others."

"She will," Eve commented with a smile. "If you teach with Julia."

Smiling at her friend, the girl squeezed her hand before Julia watched as Dani held up her wand. "I hope she's careful with that," she murmured to her friend, not surprised when Mari nodded rapidly.

"She's got an ivy wand," Rebecca said before looking over to Castle.

"She's strong and determined," he started to read. "She sets goals and achieves them… but is that because she's a toddler?"

"No," David said. "We asked an employee what she should get, and he asked us some simpler questions which was nice."

"Oh," Brad said when the mayor looked at him. "I have Neville's wand."

"And you have Luna's?" Julia asked Lily before the woman could say anything.

"Yeah, Eve ships them," she said with a smile. "And you guys can let them know your wands now."

"I got Tonks' wand; I liked the shape of it," Eve said first.

"It called to you," Marie said.

"Yep," Eve replied before they laughed softly.

"I got a rowan wand but just 'cause I really liked it," Jacob replied. "I have no clue what it means."

"You're full of healing energy and you delight in helping others," Castle said.

"Cool," Jacob said with a grin as he wanted to become a police officer like his father and appreciated the latter meaning.

"Mine is Cedric Diggory's wand," Brennan said next.

"I have Cho Chang's," Clara said, smiling at her husband. "They were a couple."

"They're nice wands," Erin told her parents firmly.

"Ow," Louis said in mock pain when his girlfriend nudged him in the side. He squeezed her arm before he said, "I got Professor Lupin's wand."

"We're not dating," Eve said quickly before she laughed with everyone.

"Good thing," Louis said. "Your turn Erin," he then said to his little sister.

"I've got Parvati's wand, it's really cool," the little girl said then with a smile. "So now it's your turn," she said quickly to Kathleen who was sitting near her.

"Mum's first," Marie said quickly before her twin could reply to that.

"I've gotten the oak wand," Skye said after checking with her wife. "And I know what this one means, I'm apparently confident and optimistic, with great inner strength and a deep well of knowledge."

"There's more," Mary said wryly. "It says people with that wand should trust their natural intuition and use it to help people."

"Then it suits you very well," Beckett said.

"I know, I wasn't too surprised," Skye said, waving her wand slightly. " _Grá_?"

"I got Professor McGonagall's wand; I appreciated how it looked," Mary said.

"I got the willow wand and I'm strong and flexible," Marie said quickly. "And I should…"

"Face new challenges that will make them stronger, or something like that," Skye said. "Kath?"

"Mine's an alder wand and I'm an adventurous traveler," Kathleen said proudly.

"You also are a confident decision maker," Mary supplied.

"That too," Kathleen said, nodding rapidly in agreement. "Your turn Fleur."

"I got Fleur's wand," the little girl said shyly, holding it up with a smile.

"We got the Weasley twins' wands," Ivy said eagerly next. "I got Fred's and Iris got George's."

"Is that everyone?" Castle asked then jokingly. "Josie, Sophie?"

"We finished Daddy," Eliza said with a giggle. "Can we go around and cast spells now?"

"Yes, but there are a lot of places on this map," Beckett commented. "We should probably split up before we go on the ride here."

"Any stores?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah, they'll send our stuff back to our rooms," Castle said quickly. "We'll see you guys," he said before they were saying goodbye to each other. "Since we're the only ones here, will we go in order?"

"Of course," Beckett replied.

"I think the first one's over there," Julia said eagerly, gesturing in that direction. She smiled when her sister took her hand and she said to her, "How come you came with us?"

"It's a family vacation too and we'd like to spend it with our families right now," Alexis told her. She squeezed her hand and then said to Eliza, "We'll let her go first right?"

"Yeah, you're the best at spells," the little girl said.

"You want to see how I do it?" Julia asked.

"Yeah," Eliza said hopefully.

"Go ahead and get in line," Beckett told the girls.

"This is so cool," Julia said eagerly to her sisters.

"What?" Alexis asked in surprise as she could tell that her sister was talking about something else.

"Mom and Dad are going to do this, with their own wands," Julia explained.

"You're right, that is really cool," Alexis said with a smile, looking behind them at their parents before their father was reacting first to them.

"Hey, I know your mom didn't really do this when we were in Tokyo but that doesn't mean you can make fun-" Castle began.

"We're not making fun," Julia said quickly.

"Of Mommy," Eliza said with a giggle.

"Why me?" Castle asked in surprise.

"We're not making fun, just now though," Alexis said, smiling at him. "No, it's because you're so eager too."

"I am," Beckett said as the last people were stepping aside from the window in front of them. "But stick around with us you guys."

"We will," Julia said with a wide smile. She stepped up to the marker on the ground then, studying the window that had a curtain and cut out people from an old illustration in front of it. She raised her wand then and said firmly, " _Tarantellegra_."

Eliza breathed out as the curtain rose before she was laughing with her sister as behind it was a troll in a tutu. "I want to go next!" she said eagerly when the curtain closed again.

"Stand here, see the way you make the shape?" Julia asked, pointing to the map she had taken from her mother's wand box as theirs and Alexis' were of the map in Tokyo.

"Like a w," Eliza said. When her big sisters both nodded she pointed her own wand and said the incantation before the curtain was moving again.

Once Alexis had gone Beckett wasn't surprised when the girls turned to her and she said with a smile, "I know, let go." She stood on the mark and spotted where she would need to point her wand before she started to move her wrist before her oldest was stopping her.

"You have to say the spell Mom," Julia told her, letting her go.

"I'm planning to, she said we have to," Castle commented.

Beckett, turning back to the girl, was tempted to tell Julia it was better to use the word should but finally nodded and said the word as she moved her wand. She had been tempted to just wave it but knew her daughters would be watching her like a hawk for that. When her oldest hugged her as the curtain moved she said, "Alright, we better keep going, there's a lot more to see."

After he'd hurriedly done the spell himself, Castle said to his wife as their daughters were looking at the map, "I could rig something up at home you know."

"Let's pass," Beckett told him. "I can just see you setting something on fire. Also, you just said that to say the phrase 'rig something up'."

Castle didn't reply, instead looked around where the girls and Alexis had stopped. "Where do we…" he began.

"Here," Julia replied as she was taking her wand out of her pocket. " _Incendio_ ," she said as she made a larger triangle shape. She smiled when the lights in the windows above them lit up and said, "Really cool."

"It was," Beckett said, putting her arm around her shoulder, startled when her daughter pulled away and hurried over to where her grandparents were in the shade nearby with Josie.

"I forgot, do you want to try?" Julia asked, looking at the two.

"Maybe the next one," Martha said.

"You can go first," Julia said, handing her grandmother her wand. "Just keep it in your pocket."

"Alright," Martha said before she saw the others were walking away from the windows. "I think you need to see what's next."

"Oh, right," Julia said, going to the other pocket where she'd set the map. She studied it and then rushed over to her parents saying, "Over here," walking to a statue of a man holding an umbrella. She couldn't help it and before her family was with her reached into her pocket for her wand when she paused.

"Here," Castle's mother said in amusement. "It wouldn't feel right to keep you from going first."

"You can go after," Julia said after she'd thanked her. She raised her wand and then said firmly, " _Metelojinx_ ," before she cried out as water fell from the umbrella. "You just do that," she told her grandmother, handing her her wand.

"You'll have to help me," Martha said. "I have no idea what you did when you waved it."

Julia smiled and said, "See this? It's the shape you need to make."

"I'll still need help," Martha said. She looked down in surprise at Eliza as she held onto her hand as Julia was doing and she laughed saying, "One at a time please girls."

Carefully moving her by the wrist Julia said, "Got it?"

"Yes, thank you kiddo," Martha said before she raised her wand to where her granddaughter had, saying the same incantation. She smiled when Eliza cheered and said, "I had a very good teacher."

Julia shrugged and then went back to her grandfather, standing with him as they waited for everyone else to go. She then thought of something and said to him, "Want to use my wand?"

"Use mine," Eliza said quickly as she had rejoined them, waving her wand in front of Josie who was looking at her with wide eyes.

"Alright, once we go to the next spell," Jim told them.

Julia, already looking at the map, went over to where the next spell quickly since it was nearby. She stood on the marker and making sure her family was behind her, she raised her wand at what she guessed was a phoenix saying, " _Silencio_ ," and the bird quieted down.

"Your turn now Grandpapa," Eliza said eagerly, giving him her wand.

Though he couldn't help feeling a little foolish, Jim stepped up to where Julia had been and let her instruct him. He made the motion with his wand and when the bird was silent he said, "Thank you."

"If you want to," Beckett was saying to Martha as her father walked to where they were standing, "You can wait by the ride we'll go on."

"That would be nice," Castle's mother commented. "It's is difficult walking around."

"Is it the robes?" Beckett asked in slight concern.

Shaking her head Martha said, "The humidity."

"Then we should sit," Jim commented.

Beckett was going to tell them they should have told them about that; as she knew it was affecting her father too; but she turned to her daughters as they were calling her; and she said, "We'll tell them once we're finished with this," going over to them swiftly as she could see Eliza was jumping up and down.

Julia, watching her mother, was surprised when she leaned in close to Castle and murmured something into his ear. When he looked at the three of them she frowned and then looked at Eliza, seeing that she was watching their parents as well.

"Are you guys thirsty?" Castle asked them.

"No, I'm fine," Alexis said.

"Me neither," Eliza said quickly.

"Are Gram and Grandpapa?" Julia guessed.

"They should get water," Eliza commented.

"We are," Jim said first. "But we'll wait for you by the ride."

"Will you go with us?" Julia asked.

"Alright," Jim said as he looked to Martha and she made a gesture with her hand. "We'll see you there."

"Have fun," Castle's mother called to the group.

After they'd finished with that spell and had cast the _Specialis Revelio_ , Julia said to her mother, "This isn't boring?"

"No," Beckett said with a soft laugh. She wrapped her arm around her and squeezed her shoulder before saying, "I hope it's alright, there's only one ride on this side."

Shrugging Julia said, "I don't care." She paused and then said, "I know we're gonna have lunch at _The Three Broomsticks_ , but could we go to _Florean Fortescue's_ for dessert?"

"Your dad suggested it to me," Beckett said before she heard an oddly familiar whistle in front of them and looked with Julia to see who it was.

"Fancy meeting you lot here," Skye said jokingly.

"How's it been going?" Beckett asked as they met up with the McDouglases.

"Great, they've been having a lot of fun with these spells," Mary said first.

"And we can do this at home," Fleur said.

"You didn't take her to the one by you?" Castle asked.

"Not yet," Skye said absently as Iris was performing the _Wingardium Leviosa_ spell and making a quill float inside the shop's window. She turned to Beckett and asked, " _Are you sure we should keep quiet about that_?"

Knowing she meant the modeling shoot with Stella McCartney Beckett nodded and said in Russian; as her friend had been speaking; " _I'm sure… I don't want to call attention to this_."

" _Yourself_ ," Skye said. When her friend looked at her she smiled slightly and said, " _You don't want to call attention to yourself_."  
" _Not really_ ," Beckett said.

" _Are you sure you want to do this_?" Skye asked with a slight frown.

" _I am_ ," Beckett replied rapidly. " _I'm just not sure I can do this_."

" _We're young yet_ ," Skye said. When Beckett didn't respond to her she smiled and said, " _So that's the reason_."

" _Not so much that; I'm fine with my age; but as a model for her clothing_?" Beckett said.

" _She's picked these outfits out personally_ ," Skye said. " _And she's certain of her choices_." As Beckett looked at her she smiled and said, " _Trust her_."  
" _I should_ ," she said with a sigh before she saw her husband was walking over to her.

"Are you ready?" Castle asked, wondering what the two had been talking about.

"Yeah," Beckett said with a smile before she and Skye walked with him over to the kids. She took his hand and squeezed it, wondering if she should have told her friend she was a bit interested in how her husband would react to the photoshoot. Shaking herself of her thoughts, she turned her attention to the kids, smiling as Julia and Marie were playfully dueling together. She felt her husband squeeze her hand and she brushed her lips against his cheek before she walked over to their daughters, pulling her wand from her robes so she could take her turn next.

* * *

"Is it here?" Julia asked her father.

"Yeah," Castle said, looking around. "Why don't you check the map?"

"It's dark," Julia reminded him as they were in Knockturn Alley and it was darker there.

"Not fully, check," Castle replied.

Looking at him, Julia pulled it from her pocket and then gasped as she opened it. "It's glowing!" she said to everyone.

"They are!" Ivy said, looking at her own map.

"Try the spell," Alexis urged her sister.

Taking out her wand, Julia pointed her wand in what she hoped was the right direction and said, " _Locomotor_ Chimney Sweep." She smiled as a flame symbol lit up and a figure inside a chimney climbed up it. She stepped aside for the others and then said to Skye, "How come you stayed with us?"

"Oh… we're enjoying things with friends," the investigator replied. "You'd like us to leave?"

"No, just… I'm getting hungry," Julia whispered.

"Don't worry," Skye said, laughing softly. "I won't tell your mum, but I'm getting a bit peckish as well."

"So am I, it is getting close to lunch," Beckett said, walking over to them.

"Oh, you did a great job Mom," Julia said rapidly, glad she couldn't see her blushing.

"I could hear you sweetie," Beckett told her. She squeezed her hand and said, "We're finished; except for you Skye." She watched with her oldest as the investigator went over to the display and after waving her wand she said, "That was nonchalant."

"We're in a hurry; luckily there's not much here," Skye replied.

"Mom we are gonna go on the train, right?" Julia asked.

"Yes, but I just realized something," Beckett said before going to Castle while the girl led the way to the next thing. She told him, "We need to text everyone."

"Yeah," Castle said slowly as he realized they'd forgotten about the rides. He took his phone out from his jeans pocket and then texted everyone but the McDouglases before he was getting answering messages quickly in return. "Okay," he said to his wife. "They're all okay with that plan and we're heading to Hogsmeade next."

"Good," Beckett said before they were performing the _Mimble Wimble_ spell on some shrunken heads.

"What's next?" Castle asked. "And why don't I have the map?"

Laughing with the other kids there Julia said, "I'm a witch Dad, I can read this map a lot better. Now we get to cast _Incendio_ again."

"I wonder what that'll be here," Kathleen said.

"Here it is," Iris said, spotting the marker first. "Go Julia."

"You guys should get to cast these first," the girl told them. She looked at the birdcage they were in front of and she then aimed her wand before she said firmly, " _Incendio_." She watched as a mist traveled to the parakeet inside the cage and then made it puff up, her eyes widening before it left the bird and she smiled as it was normal again. "I thought I was going to hurt it," she said to her parents once she'd gone over to them.

"I doubt they'd let that happen," Castle said. He watched the girl hurrying over to the McDouglas girls and he turned to his wife.

"What?" Beckett said in surprise.

" _Are you okay_?" Castle asked her in Irish.

" _Yes, why_?" Beckett replied, still startled at his obvious concern.

" _You keep looking at me_ ," Castle explained simply.

"Oh," Beckett said slowly, looking at the others. She then quickly told him about what she and Skye had discussed and then was about to continue with what she'd been thinking herself when her husband interrupted her.

" _You know you're stunning right_?" Castle asked. "Stella _picked the best things for you_."

" _I know, I'm becoming more used to the idea_ ," Beckett explained to him. She smiled when he thought that over and nodded before she told him, " _But… there is something else I've been considering_."

"Okay," Castle said, wondering at her hesitation.

" _I am a little interested in having you there with me_ ," Beckett told him.

Castle was tempted to speak immediately but he quickly stopped himself and then said, " _You're not worried about me_?"  
" _Besides the… smart comments_ ," Beckett began, meaning smart ass. " _Please don't start drooling_."  
" _That's going to be tough_ ," Castle said honestly. When his wife looked at him in confusion he smiled at her and said, " _She'll be there_ ," nodding to Skye.

"Oh… _true_ ," Beckett replied. " _I'm actually glad to hear that though_."

" _I never was attracted to her_ ," Castle said firmly.

" _Not that_ ," Beckett said, giving him a mock look though she wasn't sure how much of that he would see. " _I meant the drooling_."

" _I have to ask though, what if you're by yourself in any of those pictures_?" Castle asked.

" _We may be_ ," Skye said, walking over to them. She smiled when she could just see the surprise on their faces and told them, " _Just one picture each, what we'll be wearing there I don't know. Couldn't help hearing you two and no filthy talk please_."

Beckett was going to respond when the investigator just walked away, and she sighed heavily before she said to her husband, " _They'll probably be with you_."

"Then I'll be fine," Castle said quickly. When his wife rolled her eyes, he had no idea why he suddenly felt the urge to kiss her when they jumped at the cries suddenly coming from in front of them and they looked at them quickly to see what was wrong.

"We all went!" Eliza said eagerly. "Your turn now!"

After they had performed the spell themselves rapidly, Beckett said, "What's left?"

"Just one more," Julia said as she was looking at the map. " _Alohomora_." She led the way over to where they needed to go and once she had found the marker she stood for a moment staring at the door there was before she felt her little sister grabbing her robe from behind. "Don't worry," she said to her with a smile. She turned her attention to the door and said, " _Alohomora_." When she heard unlocking locks she nodded in satisfaction and got out of the way for her sisters and friends to go next. While they were attempting the spell, she glanced at her parents and saw they were pulling away from each other. She wasn't surprised, as it was dark there and they could kiss without a lot of people really seeing them.

" _Ná_ ," Beckett said, pressing her hand to her husband's chest as she told him don't.

" _Brón orm_ ," Castle said simply, which meant the word sorry since he'd been leaning in to kiss her. " _I couldn't resist_ ," he added, still in Irish.

Beckett smiled and nodded before they needed to perform the spell too and once they'd finished she said, "Who's ready to head to Hogsmeade?" She couldn't help laughing briefly as the kids all exclaimed in joy and she went to get Julia while Castle picked up Eliza and they were leaving Knockturn Alley for the Hogwarts Express.

"I'm so excited," Mari was saying to Julia when they were getting in their line for the train.

"Me too," she replied, slinging her arm around her shoulders.

"I wonder what this will be like," Erin said as she was standing with the two.

"My dad said it's a kind of ride," Julia said first.

"My da too," Erin commented with a nod. "But it should be fun," she said quickly as the train; looking exactly as it did in the movies; pulled up.

Walking on first with Mari, smiling widely, Julia realized they needed to be split up and she said to her friend and cousin, "I think you gotta go with your families."

"We'll see you at Hogsmeade," Mari said first, watching Julia go into the compartment that the worker on the train directed her too.

Studying it, Julia smiled as it looked exactly like it did in the movies and she sat next to the window before her little sister was running inside. "Cool, huh?" she asked her as Eliza was looking around in awe.

"Yeah," the little girl breathed. Eliza then looked at the window which had a brick wall and steam climbing up it outside and said to their parents who'd walked in with their grandparents and Josie, "Are we gonna get to see anything?"

"I hope so," Beckett replied as they were sitting.

"It's a good thing Alexis didn't come in with us," Martha said as they were a lot in the compartment.

"She wanted to see Louis," Eliza said with a smile. She sat down at her mother's direction and said to her grandfather, "Can you see out of the window?"

"I'll be able to," Jim said quickly as the door to the compartment was closing. A short time later they were moving, and he smiled as Eliza was gasping at the brick wall moving outside the window.

"We're moving!" the little girl said eagerly.

Julia smiled across the compartment at her little sister before she turned to the window in time to see them going past some buildings. "We're in London," she told her sister, trying not to laugh at the way Eliza's mouth dropped open at the sight. "It's a ride remember?"

"Yeah," the little girl said, nodding her head though she didn't turn her head away from the window.

Beckett, taking a picture of the girls, took another as she could get Eliza's look of awe at an owl with a letter clutched in its talons swooping by. She felt her husband's arm wrap around her and she smiled at him before she put away her camera so she could watch the ride.

"Are we racing it?" Eliza asked with a giggle.

"I think so," Castle replied before it went down a street. He noticed something in the sky and was startled when the actor who'd played Harry in the movie spoke and a woman replied.

"Was that supposed to be Hermione?" Julia said as the actor who'd played Ron was speaking. Since she'd turned to her parents she gasped and said, "There they are!" seeing the shadows on the windows in the door. She smiled as she listened to them talking and when the three walked away she said to her mother, "I wish the actress who was Hermione could have done the voice."

"Me too," Beckett said as they were watching more figures 'pass' in the hallway. When they turned back to the window she wasn't surprised when Eliza gasped at lightning outside a manor in what she guessed was the country.

After they'd gone by Castle wasn't surprised when Julia drew her wand out as a flock of birds formed briefly into a skull. "Know what spell to cast?" he asked her.

Looking at him with a frown on her face, the girl looked back to the window in time to see they were going into what appeared to be a tunnel before she heard someone yelling, "Dementors!" Julia looked at her sister and said, "Remember the spell?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, looking a little concerned and biting her lower lip as she quickly got her wand from her robes.

Hearing ice forming, Beckett looked with everyone to the door and saw a hand pressing against the window, creating ice as Julia next to her cried out, " _Expecto Patronum_!" just as the actor's voice for Harry was saying the same thing. She smiled as the girl looked relieved at the bright light that appeared before the dementor disappeared.

"Thanks," Julia whispered when her mother said she'd done a great job though she knew it hadn't been her. "Always wanted to really do that."

"Who's that?" Eliza asked as another woman was speaking then.

"The trolley cart lady," Julia said to her sister with a smile as she asked Harry, Ron and Hermione if they wanted anything from the trolley. When their shadows had left the windows, she turned to the window and gasped saying, "It's Hagrid! And we're at Hogwarts!" as outside the half-giant from the movie was on a flying motorbike and waving to them. She got closer to the window, putting away her wand to watch as they passed Hogwarts, Hagrid flew out of sight and they came into the Forbidden Forest.

"There's the car!" Eliza said with a squeal as the one from the second movie was flying through the trees before it landed on the ground and started to drive.

"Now we're in a race," Beckett said with a smile at her.

"Not now," Julia said, giggling with her sister as the car got stuck and they passed it. She gasped with her as they passed the trees and came out to the lake in front of Hogwarts, staring with awe at the castle lit up at night in the distance.

"What's that in the water?" Martha commented as they were looking at the lake mostly where there were trails of light.

Trying to see what the light were, Julia couldn't tell and she was about to tell her grandmother that when they slowed down at the forest and she heard her sister making a noise of fear before their grandfather hugged her to him. She then saw a railing and said, "We're at Hogsmeade Station!" quickly to reassure Eliza.

When she heard the voice announcing they were there the little girl breathed out and then said, "There's Hagrid!" as the character was waiting on the platform and waving with a lantern in hand.

When they had stopped and the doors opened, Julia got up and took her mother's hand before they were walking out into the hallway with the others before they stepped off the train. She looked behind them at the train and smiled to herself before she went to Mari, taking her hand as they made their way to _The Three Broomsticks_ for their lunch.

"Looks like we made it in time," Castle said as he and his wife were waiting with their oldest to order.

"Are we really getting two Great Feasts?" Julia asked in surprise.

"No, we're sharing with your grandparents," Beckett said. "Your sister will be getting her own lunch."

Julia nodded and then followed her parents over to the register, listening to them ordering the feast as well as her little sister's meal before they got their drinks. After they had their food she was carrying two cups of pumpkin juice and she led the way over to the table with Castle and Beckett as a worker there at the restaurant was following them with their platter of food.

"Mommy," Eliza said after the worker had left. "I get pumpkin juice, right?"

"You do," Beckett said. "Julia," she said simply to her daughter.

"What?" the girl said as she was standing up. She smiled at her mother as she was taking off her robe already and gave it to her before she started to eat the ribs that her father had put on her plate from the tray of food.

"Do you want more vegetables?" Beckett eventually asked her mother in law as they were nearly finished eating.

"Oh no, I'm completely full," Martha said, waving her head. "What should we do now?"  
"Before dessert," Julia said quickly.

Glancing at her daughter Beckett said, "We'll find something… actually we should shop now while we have the chance."

"Should we tell them?" Castle asked his wife. When she squeezed his arm, he smiled at her and then turned his attention to the girls before Julia was speaking rapidly just before he could utter a word.

"We're eating at _The Leaky Cauldron_ , aren't we?" the girl said happily.

"We are," Beckett replied. She then looked at their parents and said, "They have other food and tomorrow we'll eat elsewhere."

"Will we be going to any of the other areas of the parks?" Jim asked.

"We were going to leave the rest of Islands of Adventure for tomorrow," Castle said as he and Beckett stood to start clearing the table as the others in their group were doing.

"Can we come back to this part still?" Julia asked.

"That'll be first," Beckett said before she looked at Skye who was walking over to them.

"My girls decided they want to leave this park for tomorrow now," the investigator let them know. "I agree, we should since we're not eating here."

"That's fine," Beckett said, glancing over at Mary and seeing the woman was talking to Brennan who was nodding. "We're reading to head back to London?"

"Yep," Julia said eagerly, ready for their ride back on the Hogwarts Express as she left with her family for the train.

* * *

Yelling with Julia, Beckett held her daughter's hand tightly as they were flying over the track. They were on the ride Revenge of the Mummy and they'd gone with Castle while Eliza, Dani and the babies had stayed with her father and mother in law. When they finally stopped she looked at the girl and asked, "Okay?"

"Yeah, that was a lot of fun," Julia said, brushing her hair off her face. She smiled when her mother helped her and said, "What's next?"

"I think you know already," Castle said wryly as they were making their way back to the loading platform.

"Dessert? Really?" Julia asked with a gasp of pleasure.

"You've been thinking about it since after lunch," Castle said before they got off their car.

"How'd you know that?" Mari asked as she'd ridden with her parents behind them.

"You can tell," Castle said simply before he smiled at her.

"What can we get?" Julia asked, going to him and taking his hand.

"First, we should see what they have," Beckett commented. When they stepped out of the exit she went over to the two with the youngest of their group and said, "We're going back to Diagon Alley."

"Dessert?" Jim guessed.

"We are," Clara said before Beckett could speak.

"What is the name of this place?" Martha was saying as her granddaughters went to the stroller that she was pushing where Josie was awake and waving her arms a bit.

" _Florean Fortescue's_ ," Julia said first, letting her littlest sister grab her finger briefly. "Harry went there in the third book and did his homework there. Mr. Fortescue would give him free sundaes and helped him with his History of Magic homework. And Harry had a strawberry and peanut butter sundae when he was getting stuff for his first year." She then turned to her parents and said, "Think they have that there?"

"Most likely," Beckett said, smiling as the girl's voice had gotten faster and faster as she'd spoken.

Julia smiled herself and looked ahead as they reached the façade of London before they went into Diagon Alley and when they'd gotten to the ice cream parlor she was surprised when the parents went in on their own. "Why'd they do that?" she asked her grandmother.

"I think they want to surprise you kids," Martha said with a slight smile.

"Oh," Julia said slowly.

"Did you want to go in and take more pictures?" Alexis asked.

Shaking her head Julia said, "I have enough."  
"I'm surprised you could take pictures with so many people in there before," Mari told her friend.

"I know," Julia replied with a smile. She then looked over at the door and saw some people coming out before she said with a smile, "Think we'll have to wait again?"

"There might be a smaller kids' area," Jim said.

"Oh, that's right," Julia said. She went to the stroller and took out a park map that was in the storage on the bottom and she opened it saying, "It's themed for Woody Woodpecker. Oh, and there's an area with Curious George."  
"Think we can walk around here together?" Jacob said after hearing that.

"You don't want to go there too?" Eliza asked him.

"Not really. And we'll walk around," the boy said.

"Look," Julia said happily as she spotted the first of their parents coming out. She went with Eliza over to theirs when they saw them, and she said, "They had it?"

"They did, I blocked you from taking a picture of it so you would be surprised," Castle asked, smiling at her.

Julia made a face but sat down next to her mother and said, "Are we sharing?"

"We are," Beckett said. "Go ahead first sweetie."  
"Thanks," Julia said with a wide smile on her face before she dug her spoon into the ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and shortbread crumbles, trying to get some of everything. After she had swallowed her first mouthful she said with another wide smile, "It's really good," watching her mother eating a spoonful.

"It is," Beckett said, watching Eliza eating some. "Be careful of your robes," she said in concern as they were all still wearing them.

"Here," Castle said, getting a napkin and unfolding it before he tucked it into her collar, so it covered her shirt and robes. "Alright, you're ready to eat."  
"Thanks," Eliza said, eating more ice cream. When she had finished she asked her grandparents, "How's yours?"

"Very good, your great-grandpa would have loved this earl grey and lavender," Martha said as she had gotten a scoop of the flavor in a cup.

"Mine's good as well," Jim said with a nod as the little girl was looking to him as he was eating his cup of granny smith and mint ice cream.

Julia smiled at her family and then looked around, realizing that she had more she wanted to do if she and the older kids were allowed to stay in Diagon Alley. She thought hard about how she was going to word her request so her parents would agree with her when her mother put her hand on her shoulder, making her turn to look at her.

"What's on your mind sweetie?" Beckett asked her.

"We wanted to know if us older kids could stay around here," Julia said slowly, glancing over at the other kids. "We figured you were going to go to that Woody Woodpecker area on the map since we ate again."

"You're right," Castle said in amusement. "And I think it'd be okay love," he told his wife.

"It is," Beckett said before she turned to look at their daughter. "You can stay around here but one very important thing; do _not_ go on the Hogwarts Express to the other park."

"I didn't think you'd want us to," Julia said, nodding her head rapidly. "But thanks for letting us stay." She thought of something and said, "Could we go in the stores?"

"Yes," Beckett said. "Will you be buying anything?"

Shaking her head Julia said quickly, "I think if we see stuff… well if it's small we'll get it. But we'll wait to buy anything bigger."

"What else is there?" Castle asked. "You got the Ravenclaw umbrella and stationery set."

"I think she's reminding us that we did promise to get the girls one thing," Beckett said in amusement. "I'm assuming you're going to pick now?" She was startled when her oldest wrapped her arms around her neck but wasn't when she whispered into her ear.

"I think I want to get Hermione's dress robes," Julia said to her.

"Be very sure about that," Beckett told her firmly. "Because if you aren't…"  
"Either that or the Ravenclaw Quidditch robes," Julia said shyly as those robes for her house, Hufflepuff and Slytherin's teams were new.

"Should get those," Castle commented. "Hermione's dress… I really think that's just a dress. Anyway it's pink, do you really want that? I mean you'll look very pretty in that, but I think blue's your color."

Julia smiled at him and then said, "It is, alright I'll just get that. When?"

"Later tonight before we leave," Beckett said.

"What about… right before we go on the ride here?" Julia suggested.

"We'll see," Castle replied before his wife could.

Beckett nodded in agreement before she said, "So tell the others you can stay here and if no one else can then you'll come with us."

"You know they'll let them stay," Castle commented to his wife once Julia had left them.

"I know," Beckett said as she watched her husband take the napkin from Eliza's robe. She smiled when the little girl hugged him tightly and she then told her, "Do you want to go play with Dani and the McDouglas girls too?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly as she was interested in seeing where they would go that was just for little kids.

"Great, so we can all go," Jacob said as they were all grouped together and said they'd be able to stay in Diagon Alley. "Should we go on that ride?"  
"No, I want to go with my parents," Julia said with a smile. "And we can look around the shops too."

"Oh yeah, I want to look at _Wiseacre's_ again," Jacob replied.

"So do I," Erin said before they had to go over to their families as their parents were calling to them.

Beckett, watching Julia walking back to them, was startled when she suddenly started to run, and she was about to tell her not to do that when she reached her. "What is it?" she asked.

"Can we get Butterbeer?" the girl asked, nearly breathless.

"Yes," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "We're going to take about an hour and then we'll meet you in front of Escape from Gringotts. We'll have Butterbeer after dinner." When her daughter opened her mouth, she held up her finger and told her, "We only have a few more rides to go to after dinner."

"Actually love," Castle commented. "We can have the Butterbeer at _The Leaky Cauldron_."

"That would be nice," Julia said quickly.

"Yeah, I want to do that," Eliza said.

"Okay but if we have Butterbeer we're not going to have dessert," Beckett said with a smile at them. "We're going to go," she told the girl as she and Castle stood up.

"Have fun," Julia said, waving at her sister. She watched her family leave before she felt a hand on her back and she turned to Mari saying, "I just realized something I wanted to get."

"Oh?" the girl was saying.

"Let's get the hats from the first year," Julia said.

"Sure," Mari replied, glancing at the others who were walking up to them. "Do you guys?"

"Nah, those are for first years," Jacob said jokingly.

"I want to get it," Kathleen said.

"Not me," Marie said.

"Or me," Erin added.

"I think you three will get those," Eve said when the others looked at her. "And that's fine."

"Where do we get them?" Mari asked her friend.

" _Wiseacre's_ ," Julia said. "Oh! _Scribbulus_ is next door I want to get a quill and the Ravenclaw seal."

"We'll go with you," Eve said quickly. "Let's go get your hats first." They walked together over to the store and she let Julia and Mari go together inside first since she knew they recalled where the hats were. By the time she and the others had reached them the two were walking quickly over to the registers before they were paying and putting on the hats once the cashier had helped them with getting the tags off.

"Thank you," Julia and Mari said at the same time. They looked at each other with a smile before they watched Kathleen; who'd been a bit behind them; put on her hat next.

"So next is _Scribbulus_?" Jacob asked them.

"Do you want something there?" Julia asked him as they were leaving the store.

"I think so," the boy said with a wide smile.

Laughing together the group walked over to the other store and they split up, looking around though they'd been there before. After they had met up the McDouglas twins were taking Julia by her wrists and pulling her over to a display, talking at the same time as they were walking swiftly.

"Look at the set," Marie said first when they had reached the feathered quills.

"Oh, that's what you were saying," Julia said. When the twins looked at her she explained, "I didn't know what you were telling me." She stepped closer to the quills, which were in different colors for the houses at Hogwarts and she said, "They're pretty, but I just wanted one."

"The eagle one?" Mari asked.

Shaking her head Julia replied, "The phoenix one." She went to get it and turned around seeing that only her best friend was with here. "Where'd they go?"

"They're gonna go cast the spell in the window," Mari explained.

Nodding her head Julia smiled and said, "I'm not surprised. Want anything?"

"No," Mari said firmly, knowing that she would buy her something if she did say yes.

Playfully wrinkling her nose at her Julia looped her arm through hers and she walked over to the registers with her. Since the wax seals were there she looked at them and then pointed to the one of the raven with its wings outstretched. She got some blue wax and then paid for her items, asking to have them sent to the suite they were sharing with her grandparents. "Okay," she said to Mari as they were leaving the registers. "Let's start casting spells," she said with a wide smile while she was withdrawing her wand from her robes, her friend doing the same with her.


	20. Really Knock Me Out (Part 2)

"Hold on," Castle said to Eliza firmly as she was reaching out to the cups that he was holding. "You're going to knock them over and we won't have butterbeer."

The little girl frowned but she waited until her father had given her one of the plastic mugs he held. She immediately took a big sip and licked at her upper lip once she was finished and she giggled.

"You're going to need to let us join you," Castle told her.

"You're gonna get that on your mouth too?" Eliza asked as she had the foam from the top of the Butterbeer above her lip.

"Yes, but let them come over so we won't need to wait for them," Castle explained.

Eliza nodded and then watched as her mother, sisters and grandparents came over to them. "Are you ready?" she asked Julia eagerly.

"Yeah, you already started," the girl commented with a smile.

"I was thirsty," Eliza said defensively before she and Julia started to laugh together.

"Drink, we have some last things to do," Beckett told the two girls. When they started to quaff the liquid she said hurriedly, "But not that fast."

Laughing together after they'd stopped drinking Julia said for herself and her sister, "Sorry but we wanted to drink this one for a while." She was about to take another sip when she paused and then said, "We won't now," seeing Eliza shaking her head out of the corner of her eye. She then took another sip, listening to the grown-ups talking together about the time they had left in the park.

"We'll need to wait at least a half hour after this," Beckett said, glancing at her husband as he stepped a bit closer to her then. "To go on any rides. And the babies and Eliza will need to head back to the hotel in two hours."

"Do Brad and Lily agree with that?" Jim asked his daughter.

"And David and Rebecca," Castle commented, glancing at his wife.

Since her husband hadn't said that teasingly, Beckett studied him for a moment before she quickly said, "I meant Dani with the babies and they agree as well. We should focus on rides for Eliza until you need to go."  
"Do you mean us?" Martha asked.

"You deserve a turn," Beckett said with a smile.

"What will we do until that half hour is over?" Alexis asked, finishing off her Butterbeer.

"We'll head out to a few stores," Castle commented.

"Does that mean I can get my Quidditch robes now?" Julia asked with a smile.

"Yes," Beckett said, touching her husband's arm when he was about to speak.

"Can we keep our mugs?" Eliza asked as they'd all finished by then.

"You can," Beckett replied. "Give them- to your daddy," she started to say before her husband was taking them. She watched him go to rinse them out before she said to the others, "You can stay here if you'd like," since they were by some benches.

"If we're going on rides with the girls we should," Castle's mother said to Beckett's father.

Smiling as he nodded to her mother in law, Beckett said, "We'll come back in a half hour," before she went with the girls over to _Madame Malkin's_ , knowing Castle would follow them once he'd finished.

Hurrying over to his family, Castle smiled when he spotted Beckett cleaning off Eliza's upper lip of the foam from her drink. Once she had finished he said, "Are we ready?"

"Yes, even though someone didn't want to get cleaned up," Beckett commented as she looked at Eliza.

"Sorry," the little girl said in amusement. She took her father's hand before they went through the door of the store and said, "I know what I wanna get Mommy, Daddy."

"What's that?" Castle asked, looking down at her as they paused.

"Could I get Hermione's dress?" Eliza asked though she was looking at her big sister.

"That's fine," Julia said with a smile at her. "I really wanted the Quidditch robes anyway," she added before they both looked at their parents.

"You can get it," Beckett said. "Rick?"

"Sure, but which one?" Castle asked.

"Go with Julia," Beckett said with a smile. After he'd left she took Eliza's hand as she jogged over to her and she said, "Are you thinking of what rides you want to go on?"

"Yep," Eliza said simply before they stopped where the dress was. She watched as her mother took out some dresses and studied the sizes before she held it up against her. When she stopped and put one dress over her arm she was about to ask if she'd gotten taller when her mother took her hand and led her over to where Castle and Julia were.

"What do you think?" the latter said with a smile as Eliza rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You look like a Quidditch player," Beckett told their oldest.

"Thanks," Julia said. "Dad made me hold the broom."

"For effect?" Beckett said. When her husband nodded to Eliza she smiled and said, "Do you mind your sister holding your broom?"

"My broom?" Eliza asked, her voice suddenly high.

"Yes, you had the _Nimbus 2001_ ," Julia told her. "That's Draco's broom, now you can have the _Firebolt_ like me."

"Cool," Eliza said in awe as she took the broomstick from her sister. She held it with both hands and asked, "Can I fly it now?"

"Not yet, but once we're outside you can practice a little," Castle told her.

"You can take a picture with it," Eliza told her sister.

"Thanks," Julia said, wrapping her arm around her while their father took the broom from the little girl.

"I need your robe Julia," Beckett told her.

"Oh!" the girl said, taking it off quickly and smiling when her sister gasped at the sight of the number 7 on the back.

"We can get her name on there," Castle said.

"My last name," Julia said firmly.

"I'll take care of this love," Castle said, taking the robe and the dress from her. He squeezed her hand and headed over to the counter to the left of the register to start the process of getting Julia's last name embroidered on it.

"This might take a while," Beckett told the girls. "Why don't we go outside with your sister and grandparents?"

"I'll tell Daddy!" Eliza cried before hurrying over to him.

Waiting for the little girl, Beckett put her hand on Julia's back and said, "Do you want to play that game again at the hotel?"

"Yeah," the girl replied with a wide smile. "And could I wear my Quidditch robes tomorrow?"

"Of course," Beckett said. She was going to say something about the other Quidditch robes when her oldest was taking her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"I wonder if anyone else…" Julia began to say when everyone else except for Jim, Martha and the babies came in.

"We heard there were Quidditch robes here," Eve said with a wide smile. "I'll be getting the beater robes, Jake's getting the seeker ones."

"We better get going or else no one's going to have robes," Mary suggested.

"Oh, and our girls are wearing theirs tomorrow," Skye called as they were leaving them.

"I'll wait," Julia said when her mother and little sister looked at her.

"Wow, this store suddenly got crowded," Castle commented as he walked over to them. "Let's go and show these to your grandparents girls."

Beckett smiled when the two rushed outside immediately before they were reaching where their grandparents were. She took one of the bags that her husband had and took out the Yule Ball dress of Hermione to show their parents when Eliza was squealing heavily at something behind her.

"Perfect," Julia said with a smile before she saw the way her mother's eyes widened at the _J. Beckett-Castle_ embroidered in silver on the back of the blue robe. She took it and held it to her chest, hugging it tightly before she let her mother take it from her.

"You didn't have to sweetie; it's a long name," Beckett told her, cupping her daughter's cheek.

"Yeah… but it _is_ mine you know," Julia said before she spoke firmly at the end. She wasn't surprised when her mother; after giving Castle the robe; drew her in for a hug and she embraced her back tightly.

"Thank you, sweetie," Beckett told her.

"You're welcome," Julia said. "Thanks too Dad."

"You're very welcome," Castle said before he spoke to Eliza who'd been watching them.

"I got the dress," the little girl said, holding it up.

"They're both very nice," Martha said.

"They are," Jim said. "And I think your fellow Quidditch players are starting to come back."

"Oh… think Louis got a Quidditch robe?" Julia asked.

"He didn't," Alexis said with a smile. "We were watching Erin get her robes." She then turned her attention to Eliza and asked, "You didn't get any robes too?"

Shaking her head, the little girl then paused and looked at her mother with a frown on her face.

"I want you to wait until you're a little bigger," Beckett told her. "Maybe seven like Fleur and the younger twins are."

Eliza nodded before she saw the rest of the McColloughs and Fosters were walking outside with bags. She had planned to immediately ask about the two girls' robes when Mari was racing to Julia.

"Look! I got the number for the first chaser," the girl was telling her friend.

Seeing _M. Foster_ on the back above the 01, Julia hugged her tightly and said, "That's perfect, wanna see mine?"

Beckett watched as Julia showed the back of her robe and said, "What about yours Erin."

"It's alright," the girl said quickly as Julia and Mari turned rapidly to her. Erin smiled and then held her red Gryffindor robes that said in gold _E. McCollough_ with the number 07 under. "I'm the reserve Seeker," she said with a smile. "After Jake."

"I'll be too," Eliza said. "And mine is gonna say E. Beckett-Castle," she then added proudly. She giggled when her mother wrapped her arm around her for a hug and she said, "I really want it like that Mommy."

"I can tell, thank you sweetie," Beckett said before she glanced over to see the Davises coming over. "Let's see them, quickly we're losing time."

Laughing Eve and Jacob proudly displayed their robes that read _Eve Davis_ and _Jake Davis_ respectively and the former told everyone, "They said our full names fit so we got them."

"It's so cool you got them too," Mari told her in admiration.

With a wide smile on her face Eve said, "You're never too old for Harry Potter."

"Speaking of which," Castle commented as he looked over at the McDouglases leaving the store.

"Did Skye and Mary get robes too?" Julia asked in shock as she'd rapidly counted seven bags in the two women's hands.

"We did," the former said with a smile. "And in case you were wondering we can go back and have these sent to our rooms. Those of us with Quidditch robes, wear them tomorrow."

"Are you guys going to get them?" Rebecca asked Beckett and Lily.

"No thanks, these robes are enough," the latter said.

"I agree," Beckett said. "And are you going to show them?"

"Go ahead girls," Mary said to Ivy and Iris.

Iris, with her Ravenclaw Quidditch robes, held up the back with _Iris McDouglas_ on the back, watched as her sister showed her Gryffindor robes with _Ivy McDouglas_ on the back. Fleur was next, and she showed her yellow robes with _Fleur McDouglas_ in black on the back while she was smiling widely. Marie and Kathleen went next, the former's Ravenclaw robes reading _Marie McDouglas_ and the former's _Kath McDouglas_.

"Nice, but you had to put your nickname?" Alexis asked the girl.

"Yeah, and I like that better," Kathleen replied with a wide smile. "Mum, Mom?"

Mary showed hers which was the only Slytherin robe out of all of them, green with _M. McDouglas_ in silver on the back before she said, "By the way that M? That's for Mom."

"Mom," the three oldest McDouglas girls jokingly groaned.

"Well it is," Mary insisted before she smiled as Fleur and Mari hugged her.

"Really?" Beckett asked as she looked at Skye's Ravenclaw robes.

"What?" the investigator asked. She soon smiled and looked down at the back of the blue fabric that read _Skye McDouglas_ on the back. "That's how I'll be introduced on the show you realize."

"Not Rose?" David asked.

"After the one time of that name," Skye said quickly. She put away her robes and then said with a smile, "Are we going?"

"Yes, Eliza's going to pick," Castle said. "Since she'll need to head back to the hotel soon. And-"

"Wait!" Eliza said quickly. "I want to go on E.T. first but with you and Mommy with me," she explained.

"Alright," Beckett said with a smile when her husband looked at her. "We better go, or you won't have enough time for anything else." She wasn't surprised when the little girl rushed to her father, but she reminded the other parents, "We better get the robes to the hotel."

"Oh! My broom!" Eliza said in protest.

"She got the same one as me," Julia told their grandparents and everyone else. "The _Firebolt_."

"Cool," Jacob said with a smile.

Watching some of the other parents go with his wife, Castle was about to turn towards his mother and father in law when Julia slipped her hand into his. He looked down at her questioningly as she looked a little shy and he squeezed her small hand to encourage her to say what was on her mind which she shortly after did.

"Think I can go with you guys this time?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Castle said. "You didn't really have to ask."

"We're going there now right?" Julia said.

"We need to," Castle replied before he saw the others were coming back from the store. He moved Eliza from his hip to his shoulders and once she was settled they walked together over to the ride before he said to his mother and Jim, "After this I swear you're going with the girls."

"That's fine," Martha said with a smile. "Have fun with E.T.," she told Eliza.

"We will," the little girl said with a smile after her father had set her down. She walked with him, holding his hand, while she looked behind her at her mother and sister.

"I kinda wish I could take Lizzy's _Firebolt_ with me tomorrow," Julia told her mother.

"I think it'd be a little difficult for you," Beckett said in amusement. "But I don't blame you if you're wearing your Quidditch robes."

"Should you have gotten them for Lizzy?" Julia asked in a whisper. "It's gonna be weird 'cause you know she'll like playing with me and Mari."

Looking over at Eliza and seeing that she was watching them eagerly Beckett smiled and said, "I suppose we should."

"Really?" Eliza said with a gasp.

"Yeah," Castle said. "And we'll get it before you need to head to bed." He smiled when the little girl squealed and hugged him tightly and he said to his wife, "We should have gotten it before."

"I guess," Beckett said in amusement. "For now we can start getting on the ride," she added as they were nearly to the front of their line.

Once she and her sister were sitting on the seats in the middle of the car Eliza looked at Beckett to her left and then leaned over to check on Castle to Julia's right before she said, "Why don't you and Daddy sit together?"

Beckett, since the little girl was asking her, smiled and shook her head saying, "We want to sit with you guys since we're with you."

Eliza smiled happily as they started to move, the track above them so they would feel like they were 'flying' since in front of them there were bike handlebars as the basket in front of her and Julia had E.T. in it. She waved to the man at a table in front of a tent before they were going by him through the woods and she waved to the man in the astronaut suit though they weren't real. "Can I pet E.T.?" she asked her mother.

"I don't think you can reach sweetie," Beckett told her, running her hand over the back of her head as a car was appearing from the foliage with its lights on. She watched Eliza squealing every time a car lit up until they were moving up and came to the 'city' they were flying over. After flying into space, she leaned over a little to look at Julia to see her reaction to E.T.'s home, not surprised the little girl was looking around and shaking her head in reaction.

"It's weird Dad," Julia said to Castle.

"I know," he replied, looking at Eliza. "But your sister's enjoying it so let her."

With a shrug, Julia waited until they had reached the loading platform and once they were there she got off after her dad before they were looking at the little girl to see what she would pick next once she and Beckett were off the car.

"The Minions!" Eliza said eagerly.

Picking up the little girl with a laugh, Castle set her on his shoulders and took his wife's hand before they headed over to the area where they would be able to go on the _Despicable Me_ ride.

* * *

Screaming when they went down the drop, Julia grabbed Mari's hand until they were going over the track. She let go of her hand and murmured an apology to her friend as they were passing by a trolley with a goblin and Bill Weasley on it.

"It's okay," Mari whispered back, squeezing her hand tightly.

Julia smiled at her widely though she wasn't sure if her friend would be able to see that. They were crying out at the same time when two large knight looking figures hit the tracks and were soon moving again, crying out once more as they were being spun around a few times as they were going over the track again.

Mari couldn't help holding onto Julia's arm as they were falling after one of the metal knight figures before Bill Weasley from the movies was stopping them with his wand. As he was talking she leaned over to her friend and whispered to her; since they'd been on the ride already; "I couldn't help it."

Julia smiled widely at her before they turned their attention back to the screen and they gave mock cries of fear at the dragon that appeared before the character put up a shield of water between himself and the fire the dragon breathed out. When others appeared in the background firing spells at the dragon Bill waved his wand at them and they were moving again.

As they passed several arches Mari looked at Julia when they passed in front of another screen finally and she murmured, "Best part?"

Watching the character Griphook running by Julia shrugged and said, "Whole ride is good," before she smiled as her friend laughed. They passed Griphook and soon came to the vault room where the shelves of items and wall they were on crumbled before the snake character Nagini appeared from the rubble. She glanced at Mari as she squeezed her hand tightly; as she'd always been afraid of that character; and squeezed her back before she said, "He's gone."

"I'm watching," Mari said in mock annoyance as Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort appeared through the dust of the rubble. She screamed a little in exhilaration as Bellatrix shot a spell at them and they were suddenly going backwards.

Julia laughed before they were stopping in front of a screen that was showing all the tracks for the trolleys of the wizarding bank before Voldemort and Bellatrix were appearing shortly after. She booed and hissed, the other kids with them laughing before they did the same too. At the appearance of another dragon, she smiled when Hermione on the back of it, with Harry and Ron, shot a spell towards the other two characters before the villains disappeared. She shared a look with Mari as Hermione caused the end of the chain around the dragon's neck to 'attach' to their car.

"Here we go!" Mari said with a smile before they were all laughing together. They were in the dark at that point, so she was slightly disoriented before they came to yet another screen where Bill Weasley was with the dragon behind him. She couldn't help breathing out in slight annoyance before they were moving away and slowly. "That goes too fast," she said in frustration as that was it for the ride.

"I know," Jacob said from behind them. "What'll we do now?"

"Well, we've got a lot of time still," Marie said, looking at her watch.

"Can we say something?" Iris said gently.

"Sure, but there's not much you guys can go on without Mum and Mom here," Kathleen said.

"That's alright," Ivy said, "We're tall enough," she pointed out.

"Me too," Fleur said firmly.

"Alright, what do you want to go on?" Julia asked before they were at the loading platform and had to get off. It was later in the night and she and all the kids had been allowed to go on their own for an hour before they would be spending the last hour the park was open with their families individually. She was looking forward to getting to spend time with her parents on her own, but she was enjoying the time she had with her friends. When they were back outside in Diagon Alley she turned to the youngest of the McDouglas kids and just stared at them with everyone else to see what they would choose to ride in the end.

"Men in Black?" Ivy and Iris said together at the same time.

"Sure," Marie said first.

"But we need to leave now," Eve said after she'd finished looking at her watch. "We're running out of time."

"Should we compete?" Jacob asked as they were walking to the ride.

"Think our parents would want us to?" Erin asked.

"Your parents said something didn't they?" Julia asked wryly. She smiled when the others started to laugh and she joined in, looping her arm through Mari's as they made their way through Diagon Alley together.

* * *

Beckett waved her wand at the armor that was in front of her, watching it come back together before she heard someone behind her and turned around.

"You snuck off from me to cast spells?" Castle asked his wife jokingly.

"Why not?" Beckett asked in amusement. She grabbed the front of his robes when he reached her to pull him closer before she kissed him as hard as she could.

Castle wanted to warn her that she would make him spill the drink he'd bought for them, but he was very rapidly enjoying the kiss. So he was just careful with the cup in his left hand as he held onto his wife with his right. When they stopped he was breathing a little hard and saying, "We should do that again."

Beckett couldn't help laughing before she brushed her lips against his and let go of him, taking his hand before saying, "We should sit and have that drink."

"You spotted it?" Castle asked.

"I saw the orange in your sleeve," Beckett told him as she was taking the glass. She saw that there was some cinnamon and sugar on the rim and she quickly checked the sleeve of his robe where he'd been attempting to hide it. "You're lucky," she told him when she saw that the inside was clean.

"I know, take a sip," Castle told her. He wasn't really surprised when she shook her head and instead took his hand before she led the way to a bench nearby. Once he was sitting with her he watched her take a sip and he said, "One of the few that didn't have tea," with a smile as her eyes widened.

"What's it called?" Beckett asked, handing him the cup.

"Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice," Castle replied.

"Well… I'm glad we didn't take the girls there, it's a little sweet," Beckett told him. She smiled as she watched him taking a sip of the drink himself and then reached for him to cup his face with her hands. "Rick…" she began as he was suddenly reaching up with a piece of the slice of orange that was on the glass. But she ate it and seeing how his eyes were darkening right in front of her she reached for what was left of the orange in his hand and broke off a piece herself. She fed it to him and they continued doing that until the fruit was gone.

"We need to stop," Castle said, his voice strained. He was startled when she pushed the cup into his hands and he was quick to take it, drinking it to distract himself. " _How long until_ DC?" he asked in Irish as he gave the cup to her.

"Pervert," Beckett said though she was smiling. She took a drink and then told him with a sigh, " _I know, but we have another full day tomorrow_."

" _And the day after that_ ," Castle commented, taking the cup. After sipping he said, " _Though I'm going to enjoy that_."

"Pervert," Beckett said with a slight laugh. " _Don't make me repeat myself_."  
"Scout's- ow," Castle said when she smacked his chest with the back of her hand. He let her finish the drink and said, "I don't know if Hogsmeade has anything like that place, but I'd love to try it if it does."

"Beer?" Beckett asked since she knew they did have that in the park.

Shaking his head Castle said, "There are better things than beer."

Beckett was a little confused at how serious he was before he was suddenly leaning over and kissing her hard. When she felt his hands on her back she wondered for a moment where the cup was when his tongue was suddenly slipping inside her mouth. She let out a slight moan of surprise but accepted him rapidly before she was raking her nails through his hair and over his scalp. They had to stop shortly after and she smiled before saying, "How long did you have to wait for that?"

"A really long time," Castle said seriously. He felt his heart thud in his chest heavily at the way she laughed, and he was kissing her again. But before he could make it all that deep she was pulling away when his phone's alarm started to ring. "Will you hate me if I say I forgot about Julia? Just for right now."

"No, we've been… occupied," Beckett told him before they got up and walked over to the mermaid fountain they had designated their meeting place with the kids. "Where is everyone?" she asked when no one had appeared for a while.

"I'm not sure," Castle said, beginning to grow concerned.

Beckett was reaching for her pants pocket when she suddenly spotted their oldest and she relaxed. But shortly after she realized the girl was all by herself and she started to frown before her daughter was calling out to them once she was close enough for them to hear.

"They met all their parents at the entrance to here," Julia said. She smiled when her mother pulled her over to them and she said, "I missed you guys too."

"But you had fun," Castle commented.

"Yep," Julia said, nodding her head. "We went on the Gringotts ride, Minions, Men in Black…"

"You want to go on that one?" Beckett asked her.

"Could we?" Julia said hopefully.

"Sure," Castle said before Beckett could answer. "And after?"

"Just stick around here?" Julia asked a bit abashedly.

"Do you want to buy something else?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Not for me," Julia said, shaking her head. "I was thinking about getting something for Mari; for Christmas."  
"Alright," Beckett said slowly. She saw that her husband and their oldest were looking at her and she smiled saying, "This would be a good time to go through all the stores around the park if there's anything for anyone for Christmas."

"I did want to do the spells again too," Julia said hurriedly.

"We will, after we shop though," Castle said as they were leaving Diagon Alley so they could go on the ride.

"Cool," Julia said with a wide smile that remained in place as her parents laughed a bit. When they got to the ride and the front of their line she leaned against her mother when her father tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"Know what your mom did?" Castle asked.

"What?" Julia asked in amusement.

"She went off to cast some spells and she left me all alone," Castle said, pretending to sound dejected at the end.

Julia giggled behind her hand when her mother playfully tweaked his ear and she then said, "I'm sure you were lonely Dad but then you met up with Mom again and you kissed so it worked out," trying to be as serious as possible. When her parents looked at her in surprise she rolled her eyes and told them, "I could tell when I saw you," tapping her lower lip for a moment before they were the next in line.

Beckett glanced at her husband, who was merely smiling, but didn't say anything as they were getting onto the car for the ride. Since it was three across she and Castle had their daughter in front of them and they grabbed the guns that were in the holders in front of them. They started to move, and she watched Julia firing at an alien that was above them, smiling when she squealed as she got some points for that. She started to fire at aliens that were in windows as Agent J was talking over the speaker.

Going out into what was supposed to be a city, Castle fired the best he could at the aliens on his side before the lights in the room changed and a woman announced, "Training sequence aborted." Since they'd been on the ride already he looked at Julia and said, "Great job."

Wrinkling her nose at her father for a moment, Julia then laughed before they were going into the next room to where there was a crashed alien ship. She was going to fire at the alien that popped up in front of it as they were going by it and the ship, but her mother touched her hand to stop her. When they were past it, she looked at her mother who smiled at her and then started to fire, spurring her to follow her parents' lead since Castle was doing the same on the other side.

As they were going through the different rooms Castle did his best not to look at his score in front of him since he didn't want to think of it as a competition. He could tell Julia was enjoying the ride so he waited until they had finished and said, "So who got the most?"

"You mean who won?" Julia asked him. "Mom did," she said as she nodded over to her score in front of her.

"Sorry love," Beckett said, leaning over and smiling at him.

Castle wanted to tell her it didn't matter but they needed to get off the car, so he followed them and just managed to grab her hand before her long robe sleeve covered it. "I really didn't care," he told her.

"Don't worry," Beckett told him with a smile as he seemed a little desperate to make sure she knew. She leaned into him and pressed her lips against his cheek telling him, " _Thank you for not because she was enjoying it_ ," in Irish.

" _That's why I didn't_ ," Castle said firmly. He kissed her back when she kissed him on the lips and they turned to their daughter to see she was studying her wand and he asked, "Are we taking too long."

"Nope, just making sure I'm ready," Julia said with a smile.

"Come on," Beckett said, taking her hand so they could leave the ride and head over to the Harry Potter section. She smiled at her husband when he hurried after them and then walked next to her on the other side and she felt his hand touch her back briefly before their oldest was reminding them of something.

"What about the shopping?" Julia said.

Pausing Castle said, "Should we just shop here and then when we start making our way down we'll stop where we'd like to."

"Better idea," Beckett replied. She turned to their oldest and said, "We're following you."

Julia blushed a little before she hurried through the entrance to the alley and she went to the store where she had found what she'd wanted to get for her friend.

Castle wasn't surprised when the girl grabbed a Ravenclaw sketch journal before she then grabbed a peacock quill set with blue ink. "She'll enjoy her gifts," he commented when she was finished.

"I hope so," Julia said seriously as she was smiling. She went over to the register and after she'd paid, and her mother had instructed the cashier where it would be delivered; to their room so Mari wouldn't see it; she stopped her parents outside the store. "I… there was one more thing I wanted to get her."

"Alright," Castle said, glancing over at his wife.

Julia smiled and then said, "Is it okay?" to her mother.

"It is, I'm just wondering what you're going to get exactly. She wasn't surprised when her daughter took her hand and pulled her over to Madame Malkin's store and she let her go further in until she was reaching the section with the scarves and gloves that were themed to the houses of the school. Since she knew Mari already had a Ravenclaw scarf she glanced at her husband before they turned back to their daughter to see what exactly she was going to get.

"Do you think she'll like these?" Julia asked her parents as she had grabbed the Ravenclaw gloves.

"I think she would," Beckett said. "She's liked yours."

Julia thought that over and then nodded saying, "I'll get these for her."

Castle and Beckett looked around as they were going through the store after their oldest, seeing if there was anything they wanted to get anyone. After sharing a look, they watched their daughter paying, talking to the cashier and smiling at the woman before she jogged over to them to their surprise.

"Sorry for running a little but she asked if you were the writers," Julia said with a smile. "Well, she asked your names and I said yes. Would you give her an autograph?"

"Sure," Castle said first.

"I'm sorry," the employee said in slight embarrassment when the three approached her. "I'm just a big fan." She glanced at their robes and said, "You're in Ravenclaw?"

"We are," Beckett said with a smile as she waited for her husband signed the paper the woman had first. She glanced at her name tag and then said, "Are the employees here sorted at all?"

"We are; there's been talk of us wearing Hogwarts robes too," the woman, whose name was Evelyn, said. "Maybe for Christmas but I don't know if that's a for sure thing. Your room is 29H?"

"It is," Beckett said, taking the pen from her husband and knowing the woman had set aside the bag that was Julia's to be sent to the hotel.

"What house did you get into?" the girl asked the employee then.

"Hufflepuff," Evelyn said.

"Cool, my grandpapa is in that one," Julia replied. "My gram got into Gryffindor but the rest of us are Ravenclaw." She paused and then said, "We'll, my littlest sister is too little for the test."

"She's right," Castle said as Beckett finished signing the paper.

"Thank you so much," the woman said gratefully as she smiled at them both.

"You're welcome," Beckett said before they were leaving the store.

"I didn't say too much did I?" Julia asked her parents once they were far enough away.

"No, nothing wrong with someone knowing our houses," Castle commented.

"What if she puts it on the internet?" Julia said in concern.

"You don't need to worry about that," Beckett said wryly as she looked at her husband while they were walking with Julia since she was leading. "Your dad put it on our site the night we took the test."

Thinking about that for a moment Julia sighed and said, "Really?"

"I didn't mention names, I just said we were five happily reading Ravenclaws, one brave Gryffindor and a very loyal Hufflepuff," Castle said defensively.

Julia laughed with her mother before she was stopping at the mermaid fountain and pointing her wand at the bowl in front of the figure of the aquatic creature. " _Aguamenti_ ," before she turned to her mother rapidly as there had been something that had bothered her after what her father had said.

"Great job sweetie," Beckett said calmly. "What's wrong?"

Not surprised that her mother had guessed that, Julia said, so quietly she wasn't sure she would hear her, "Do you think that's why Grandpapa is in Hufflepuff? Because he's still in love with Grandmama?"

Beckett was quiet for a moment as she hadn't been expecting that question but only for that brief period as she knew she'd need to answer her daughter. "It probably is part of it," she said. "Your grandpapa has been loyal to a lot of people," she added. "But…"

"That helps," Castle said. He was startled when the girl's eyes filled with tears and he put his arm around her, leading her away from the fountain as he let his wife speak first.

"Sweetie-" Beckett began before she was interrupting her.

Shaking her head Julia said, "Grandpapa is lonely, isn't he?"

"No," Beckett said so swiftly she wasn't surprised when the two were looking at her questioningly. "He misses Mom of course, but he's not lonely. He won't be dating anyone or marrying anyone because he still loves her. That scares you doesn't it?"

When the girl nodded Castle said, "Does that scare you about your gram?"

"Yes," Julia said slowly. "But it's different with Gram, Dad." She knew her father needed an explanation so when he looked at her questioningly she said, "I don't want her to get hurt like she was with her one husband you said took her money."

"Don't worry," Castle said. "She's finished with marrying." When he saw the doubt on his wife's face he told her, "She is, dating no but marrying she doesn't have patience for."

"That does sound like Martha," Beckett said with a slight smile as Julia was giggling softly. She turned her attention to their oldest and said, "But you know now your grandpapa is okay. And he's happy being a grandfather now."

"And dad," Julia said immediately.

"That too," Beckett said. "What'll be next?"

Opening her mouth to speak, Julia stopped and then said, "I almost forgot, you know there are spells at Hogsmeade too right?"

"We do, but we wanted to wait until tomorrow to focus on that," Castle said. "And so you know there are two water rides next door."

"I can take off my robes," Julia said. "Oh, I want to! They're gonna be my Quidditch robes!"

"Good idea," Castle said. "And speaking of that you're going to bring a Snitch, right?"

"No," Julia said, rolling her eyes though she very quickly after smiled at him. "I want to go to the spell at _The Hopping Pot_."

"That's where I got a drink for me and your mom," Castle said as they were walking over to the place.

"Can I try a drink from there," Julia said when they stopped in front of where the spell was. She realized what she'd said and then corrected herself telling them, "Or wherever there's a place in Hogsmeade like here."

"There is, and we'll see," Castle said. He waited for her to cast the spell on the giant eyes in front of them and said, "Tired of Butterbeer?"

"I want something new," Julia said with a wide smile.

"Understandable," Beckett said, smiling herself. "Where are we going next?"

Looking at the spell map, Julia then said, "Gringotts and then Knockturn Alley."

"Great," Castle said as he put his arm around her. "On the way let's say _Expecto Patronum_ at empty spaces so people will think we're nuts."

As Julia was laughing heavily at her father, Beckett went to the other side of her husband, rolling her eyes at him when he looked at her though she was smiling at the same time. She wasn't surprised when he made their daughter pause with him and they shared a quick kiss before she felt the girl hugging them both.

"I love you Mom, Dad," Julia said with a wide smile for her parents as they were looking at her.

"Love you Julia," Beckett told her with a smile, hugging her tightly before she watched her go to Castle.

"I love you too _ceann beag_ ," Castle told her before the girl was throwing her arms around him. He embraced her back as tightly before she was stepping back and looking between them both.

"You're going to still love each other, right?" Julia said. When her mother laughed softly and her father nodded she added, "And that kissing stuff too." She laughed that time when her parents hugged her together and they held onto each other as they started to walk again. She felt a thrill of excitement getting to spend more time with them and she hoped it would last as they made their way through Diagon Alley together.


	21. Partial To Your Abracadabra

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: It was great getting the feedback for the last two chapters, so I'll go ahead and get to my thank yous for that! Mb (Great that you though the first half of the chapter was fantastic. And I looked into it and there's an idea for a Harry Potter hotel, but I doubt it would get built because there's no space by the theme parks to build it. But yeah, Universal Orlando looks like a great resort so not surprised you'd like to visit it if you go back. It was nice that you loved how Julia was excited with being the expert there, lol. Also, that she was helping Eliza and then being encouraged by the rest of the family to take the lead. Really happy you thought the chapter was fun, I definitely tried! And I'm really pleased at your reaction to my imagination for the rooms, lol, and great you'd stay at the hotel I invented, I would too. I was happy to see you thought the first half was awesome and you're welcome for it too! It was nice to see you thought the second half was fantastic too. I'm glad you think they're having a fantastic time all together as I wanted it to read that way, lol. Great you thought the food sounded amazing since it took me a bit to get the right dishes, lol. And I had to laugh at you saying you were impressed they waited until the end to ask about dessert, but I figured they knew from their past buffets by now, lol. So happy you think Stella wanting Beckett and Skye to do print modeling for her was fantastic, I'd been wondering at reactions to that. I wasn't surprised that you could fell that Castle and Beckett wanted to be together. And I'm pleased that you thought though it was quick, hot and fast it was and will always be loving between them as you put it. You're welcome for the second half!) and

TORONTOSUN (I was really happy that you liked how everyone was experiencing different foods and drinks at the park, I had fun doing that. Oh, and great you thought it added to the story!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, loved reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra_ written by Ian Drury and Chaz Jenkel, the version I've taken from is sung by Paul McCartney from the tribute album called _Brand New Boots & Panties_.

Partial To Your Abracadabra

"What's on your mind love?" Castle asked his wife.

Glancing at him Beckett said with a slight smile, "I'm not surprised you noticed. Why did you hyphenate her last name?"

"Because though you didn't have that official when I adopted her… or when Eliza and Josie were born that is their last name," Castle told her as they'd been watching their two older daughters walking together, able to see their last names above the numbers on their Quidditch robes. It was the day after their first one at Universal Studios and they were walking through Islands of Adventure to make their way to Hogsmeade first thing in the morning. He looked at her and said, " _Is it weird if I say I wanted to make sure your last name was passed down too_?"

" _No_ ," Beckett said, speaking in Irish as well. She became thoughtful for a moment before she said, " _You've been thinking of asking me about changing their last names so they are hyphenated, aren't you_?"

" _Yes_ ," Castle said slowly as he looked at her. " _But we should talk about that later I think_."

" _We can if that's alright with you_ ," Beckett told her husband. When he opened his mouth to speak she squeezed his hand and told him, " _We'll talk about it later, when we're back at home and can do it_."

" _Perfect_ ," Castle told her seriously. He then thought of something and said, " _I know you're thinking of_ Mother _; she won't mind, she'll be surprised we haven't done this already_."

" _Thank you_ ," Beckett said softly as she smiled. She brushed her lips against his cheek quickly before they needed to turn their attention to their daughters who were hurrying back to them and talking at the same time excitedly and rapidly.

"We're still working on the spells, right?" Julia asked the once they were close enough.

"Yeah," Castle said when he saw David waving to them as they'd spread out suddenly.

"Skye and Mary suggested we spend this last day at amusement parks separate," the mayor said.

"Sounds good to me," Castle commented before he looked down at Julia.

"What?" the girl asked in surprise.

"Would you mind if we did that?" Beckett asked, not surprised when her daughter swiftly nodded her head before she'd even finished speaking. "Then we're splitting up; you're not going over to Hogsmeade first?"

"Also, are we meeting for meals?" Castle added swiftly before his friend could speak.

"Yes and no," David said, giving him a brief puzzled look. He then said, "We'll spend tomorrow at Volcano Bay. Have fun."

"Tell Mari to have fun too," Julia said quickly.

"And Dani!" Eliza said as David was walking away from them.

"I thought they were all going to Hogsmeade," Jim commented while they watched the others splitting up as they were at the end of the lake in the middle of the park.

"So did I," Beckett said since the Davises and McCulloughs were heading to the left away from that area. She shook her head and said, "We better go, that way we can…" before trailing off as she looked at her stepdaughter.

"Do you not want me to go with you?" Alexis asked in amusement.

"I think it's more we're surprised you're sticking with us kiddo," Martha said.

"Believe me, I want to spend time with you," Alexis said firmly. "What're we going to do first?"

Julia laughed with her little sister; as they knew their big sister was aware of where they were going already; and she went to her with Eliza, taking her hands. "You'll still see us, right?" she asked as they were continuing to Hogsmeade.

"You mean when I move in with Louis?" Alexis asked. Seeing both her sisters were nodding she said, "Of course, I'm basically down the street you know. We'll walk or ride our bikes."

"No surprise there," Castle commented from behind. He smiled when his oldest turned to him and said, "I'm glad you'll do that."

Looking back ahead at the arch they were approaching Julia suddenly said, "Wait! The map!"

"I have it," Beckett said quickly while she was handing it over to her oldest. "Don't forget I have pockets."

"I won't," Julia said with a smile as she and her sister were wearing their Quidditch robes. She studied it and said, "We're going to Zonko's first."

"You are," Eliza said.

"I don't have to," Julia told her little sister.

"Yeah, you're the best witch," Eliza said firmly.

"Go ahead," Beckett told the girl with a smile when Julia looked back at them.

Stepping up to the marker for the spell, Julia smiled at the colorful display and took her wand from her mother; who'd held it too; and pointed it before she said, " _Incendio_." She smiled and watched as rockets appeared and there were small popping noises before she turned to Eliza so she would go next for sure.

"What's next?" Jim asked Julia with a smile as she came over to where he and Martha were with Josie.

" _McHavelock's_ , we're gonna cast _Arresto Momentum_ ," the girl replied. She smiled at her grandparents and then said seriously, "Are you gonna stay with us this time?"

"Let me see the map?" Martha said, glancing over as her daughter in law was casting the spell. She studied what there was and said, "I think it's a small enough area we can stick together."

"We're gonna go on the other rides in the park," Julia said.

"How did you get that map so quickly?" Jim asked in surprise when he saw the park map in her hands.

Smiling up at him Julia said, "It was with Josa. But there are so many rides here to try out."

"I'm surprised you didn't go yesterday," Martha commented, switching maps with her.

"There are water rides, are you guys gonna go on those?" Eliza asked as Castle had gone and they were gathering around the stroller.

"I will," Jim said.

"The tamer rides I'll attempt," Martha said firmly.

"That green roller coaster is the Hulk one; you wouldn't want to go?" Alexis asked her grandmother.

"What's so funny?" Eliza asked as everyone else but Josie was laughing as Martha gave a heavy, mock suffering sigh.

"Let's head to the next spell," Beckett said, smiling at her mother in law before they started to walk.

"I was on an episode of the Incredible Hulk show," Martha told her granddaughter as they walked together.

"There was a show?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"Yes, but it was a very long time ago," Martha replied.

"But you were perfect in it Gram," Eliza said firmly.

"Why, thank you kiddo," Martha said.

"We're here," Castle said to the two as they were stopping in front of a window.

"Do you remember Gram's show Daddy?" Eliza asked him, going to him to take his hand.

"Slightly," Castle said.

"Watching it?" Beckett asked her husband as she wasn't aware he remembered watching it on TV when it had aired.

"He was with me on the set," Martha said before her son could say anything. "I had to take him, my brother and sister in law couldn't watch him. He was with me where we were filming but again he was young."

"I behaved, Hulk scared… he scared me," Castle said before he turned his attention to Julia. "Go ahead," he called to her as he knew she was waiting to cast the spell in front of her.

Though she wanted to ask her father about that Julia turned to the cauldron that was above though she wasn't pointing her wand that high. " _Arresto Momentum_ ," she said, smiling when the water that had been going into the cauldron stopped. She went to her grandparents and said, "You can use my wand this time Grandpapa."

"Of course," Jim said, taking it from her. "How do your robes feel?"

"Really nice," Julia said eagerly before they paused to watch the others go. "You can get some Hufflepuff ones."

Laughing slightly Jim shook his head and stepped up to the marker before he waved Julia's wand and the water stopped again. Handing it back to her he was surprised for a moment when she shook her head and he told her, "Remind me I have your wand."

"I will," Julia replied with a soft laugh before she took his hand and brought him with her as she led him to the next spell. She took her wand from him and once it was her turn she waved it in the R motion saying, " _Revelio_."

"Ooh, I want a chocolate frog," Eliza said eagerly when her sister caused the lid of the large chocolate frog box to raise, revealing one of the candies inside.

"We'll go inside later," Beckett told her gently as they were in front of Honeydukes. "And we'll be sending everything we get to the room."

"Are we taking it to DC with us?" Julia asked hopefully while her sisters were taking their turns.

"We will, but not everything," Castle said. "Plus, there isn't much that we haven't tried in Japan already."

Beckett smiled when Julia nodded before she stepped forward to perform the spell rapidly and then said, "But we should think of what we'll do after this."

"Me?" the girl asked in surprise. When her mother nodded she thought for a moment, recalling what she'd seen on the map of the park before she hurried over to look at it again. "Well," she started to say before her father was handing her the spells map. Julia smiled at her family since they were looking at her, and she said, "This way," before walking to the 'store' called _Dogweed and Deathcap_ before she stood in front of the window filled with different plants.

Castle shared a look with his wife as Julia said, " _Herbivicus_ ," almost nonchalantly, stepping aside before she really saw the flower in front of her growing more petals. "Are you alright?" he asked their daughter as he grabbed her before she passed them.

"I'm trying to see where we should go next," Julia said hurriedly. "Look, the Dr. Seuss place is for young kids, right?" she asked her parents.

"It is, so after lunch?" Castle asked.

"Yeah," Julia said. "We talked about it and we want to go on the Hogwarts Express and then come right back. 'lexis said she'd take us if you don't want to go."

"Alright," Beckett said, smiling at how serious she was. "What can we do now?"

"The rides here?" Castle suggested. He was taken aback when she shook her head and he asked, "You're tired of Harry Potter already?" in a mock startled tone.

Rolling her eyes; though she smiled at her father soon after; Julia told him, "I'd like to try the other rides first. If we have time it'd be cool to go on those later."

"We'll have the chance," Beckett assured her.

"Okay, then there's The Lost Continent down from us but it doesn't sound like there's rides," Julia said.

"Poseidon's Fury looks interesting," Castle said.

Studying the map that Julia had handed over for them to see, Beckett said, "For after dinner I think."

Nodding the girl then said, "So I think we should go around past the castle and try the Jurassic Park part," watching her parents closely to see what their reactions would be.

"Is she tall enough for that ride?" Castle asked his wife since she was looking at the map.

"By one inch," Beckett said. "But I'd like her to be a little older before she tries that one," she added with a smile as Eliza came over to them. "Our turn?" she asked the little girl. When their daughter nodded rapidly she smiled and went with Castle to take their turns before Martha was going last, using Eliza's wand.

"Great job," Julia told her little sister. They slung their arms around each other and walked to the next spell which she'd seen already. "Why don't you go first?" she asked her, standing in front of the window for _Gladrags Wizardwear_.

"You're the Seeker," Eliza said with a wide smile. "And I get to go right after."

Since her sister wasn't complaining, Julia nodded and stepped up to the first spell saying, " _Descendo_ ," to make a measuring tape lower in the window. She stepped to the side and waved her wand yet again saying, " _Ascendio_ ," to make the tape rise again. While the rest of her family was taking their turns, she hurried to her littlest sister and kissed her forehead saying, "Want to hold my wand?" Hearing Josie gurgling, she took that as a yes and carefully wrapped her sister's tiny hand around the handle of her wand, making sure it was well away from any other part of her body as she helped her make the sign for _Descendo_. "Good job," she said, taking the wand away and brushing her lips to her forehead.

Watching Josie as the baby smiled and moved her legs a little hard, Beckett smiled and said, "I know what you're going to say next."

Looking up at her Julia said, knowing her eyes were wide, "Sorry?"

"No, it's alright," Beckett said. "You knew to keep the wand away from her eyes and mouth."

"Well… yeah," Julia said. She then giggled and said, "She liked it," as the baby was smiling again.

"I think she did, now we need to know what's the next spell," Beckett told her.

"Oh! This way!" Julia said happily, going over to _Madam Puddifoot's_. "Here's where Harry had his date with Cho Chang," she said to the others. "But it wasn't very good 'cause she was always thinking of Cedric who Wormtail killed. And then he told her he had to go see Hermione and she got jealous."

"Hmm, I can see what you might not like her kiddo," Martha said, keeping her tone serious though she wanted to smile at how somber her granddaughter was. "But does the spell have to do with that?"

"Nope," Julia said before she twirled around; so her Quidditch robes would swirl around her; and raised her wand. " _Locomotor Snowman_ ," she intoned before she watched as the snowman topper to the cake in front of her skated around the top, smiling as Eliza squealed in joy at the sight of it.

When they had finished with that spell Alexis said, "Are we going to that King Kong land?"

"Oh, yeah but Jurassic Park's first," Julia said. "Funny they don't have the ride's name the same as in Japan. And Hollywood."

Castle was about to speak when the girl was turning to the window and incanting, " _Locomotor_ ," which set off the music box there. Once she'd said, " _Arresto Momentum_ ," to stop it he said, "Sometimes they like to make things different."

"I thought so," Julia said, leaning against him.

Pretending to jump Castle said, "So you're the reverse pickpocket," in amusement since she'd slipped her wand into his pocket.

"Thanks Dad!" Julia cried out before she went to Josie to play with her until they were going to the bookstore. In the window of _Tomes and Scrolls_ she said firmly and swiftly, " _Alohomora_ ," to open the book of _Tales of Beedle the Bard_.

"Is this the last spell?" Beckett asked, looking at the map once they were on the move again.

"Yeah," Julia said. "Am I first again?" When the others just looked at her, smiling, she laughed and then stood in front of the window there saying, " _Wingardium Leviosa_ ," setting the quaffle and bludgers raising and lowering in the box they were in.

Going last, as the girls had insisted he and Martha take part in the last spell, Jim then asked, "Are we ready for Jurassic Park?"

"I am!" Eliza said. "What's the ride?"

"Jurassic Park River Adventure," Beckett said. She squeezed her shoulder and said, "But sweetie it's the same ride in Japan; just a different name."  
"Kay, but I wanna go on a ride here too Mommy," Eliza said. She giggled when her family laughed, and she let her father pick her up before they were walking again and leaving Hogsmeade.

"It's so cool," Julia said as they passed obviously between the Harry Potter section and the Jurassic Park one.

"It is," Alexis said, holding her hand. "Do you mind we have to take off our robes?"

"Nope, I don't want to get it wet or anything," Julia said. "Should we do the water rides now?"

"She has a point," Castle said as they went over to some benches by the exit to the ride. "Get soaked now and let them wear their special robes the rest of the day."

"Unless they want to go on them later," Beckett pointed out to him.

"Sure," Castle said. He laughed when she pushed him and he took her by the arms once he'd gone back to her, brushing his lips against hers gently.

"Thank you for that," Beckett said with a smile. "Come on," she said, knowing their family was watching them. She separated the clasp of her robes before she handed them to Martha who was putting them in an empty bag they'd brought that day in anticipation of the water rides.

Handing his mother his after that, Castle said, "Would you want to go on this one later?"

"I'll go on another," Martha told him simply.

"There's a kid roller coaster," Julia said suddenly, hopping from foot to foot. "In this land."

"There you are," Martha told her son with a smile. "I'll join Eliza on that one and you two can take a break… or whoever will babysit."

"I will," Jim said, as he'd promised Julia he'd go on the Jurassic Park ride with her.

"Have fun," Martha said, smiling when Julia waved at her before she took her parents' hands and walked with the others to the express line. She heard Josie making some sounds before she reached for the baby while Eliza watched and cradled her saying, "They're going to have so much fun darling. Just like the three of us," pressing her lips to her forehead before she sat back to people watch with her youngest granddaughters while waiting for their family to go on their first ride in the park that day.

* * *

"Is that the ride for me?" Eliza asked, her eyes wide as she saw it above her.

"It is, did you change your mind?" Castle asked.

"No!" Eliza said eagerly. "Gram, will you go with me? I'll let you sit in the front."

"I'll sit behind you kiddo," Martha said, not surprised when the little girl squealed in joy and hugged her.

"Alexis-" Beckett began.

"Stay," the young woman replied quickly. She was about to reassure her stepmother she didn't mind going on her own when Josie started to cry. "You should stay and help her Dad," Alexis said as Beckett was quick to get the baby out of her carrier.

"Have fun," Castle replied before the five were leaving them to get in line for the Pteranodon Flyers ride. He went to the stroller and once he had a towel over his shoulder he sat next to his wife saying, "That turned out to be a big help," as he watched her nursing their baby.

"Yes, but if I was in the sun…" Beckett said with a smile as she was using her robes to block Josie and herself. She peered down at the baby and saw she was fine, so she quickly turned her attention to her husband, seeing he was looking at the map for the park. "What water ride is next?" she asked him.

"Dudley Do-Right," Castle replied. "It doesn't look like there's a height restriction."

"I'm sure there is once we get to the line," Beckett said, watching him standing in front of her and holding the map up for her. She shook her head and said laughingly, "Thank you."

"This came in handy too," Castle replied, sitting down once she'd switched the baby to her other breast.

Beckett smiled at him before she looked down at Josie as she continued to nurse and once she was done she let Castle take her before she fixed her blouse and robes. She stood up to set the map her husband had thrown under the stroller on the pocket that was under the carrier. She was about to ask him about if he'd seen anywhere they could have lunch when she heard a familiar squeal above them.

"So," Castle said when they'd looked up and had seen their middle daughter passing by with his mother in the chairs. "Screams of joy or terror?"

Laughing Beckett didn't answer as she was waving at Julia who was next with her father though she wasn't sure if the two could see them. She watched Alexis go by third and then turned to her husband saying, "Joy. I was going to say we should think about lunch. They'll be hungry."

Nodding Castle said, "I haven't looked, we're not going to the Harry Potter section?"

"No," Beckett said with a smile as she was getting the map again.

Castle was startled at her reply, but he could only watch her studying the paper before she folded it closed and put it away. "I… can I ask?" he said.

"No," Beckett replied with another smile. She reached for the baby and set her into the carrier before she heard someone calling out to them. She wasn't surprised to see that it was Eliza, hurrying with her grandfather coming after her as he was holding her hand.

"I didn't get scared Mommy! Did you see me?" the little girl said to her since she'd reached Beckett first.

"We heard you," Castle said before she was launching herself at him. He laughed and said, "So you were having fun."

"Yeah," Eliza said.

"It was fun," Martha said as she, Julia and Alexis were coming up behind the two. "And she was very brave. And you too Julia."

"Thanks," the girl said with a slight laugh as the ride before that one had had an eight-story drop. "We're going on the water rides next?"

"Yes, and it's Dudley Do-Right," Castle told them.

"The old cartoon?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"Yeah, but we're not sure if we want to let you go sweetie," Beckett told her.

Eliza was going to put before she thought of something and then asked, "What kind of ride is it?"

"Let's go see," Castle said, about to pick her up to place her on his shoulders when his wife stopped him.

"Your robe love," Beckett explained to him, not surprised that he was looking at her in confusion. She had already started to take her robes off and once they were folded with the others' she said, "Well put these on once we dry off after the last water ride," directing that more towards the girls.

"How many are there?" Eliza asked.

"Three, so there are two more," Julia answered before their parents could say anything.

"Let's go so we won't be wet for that long," Castle said as he was putting Eliza on his shoulders. "I want to get back into my robes."

"Me too," the little girl replied, wrapping her arms around his head so she could rest her chin on the top of it.

When they'd reached the ride Julia's eyes went wide at the drop and she looked at her mother who was watching it she could see. At that moment one of the logs for the rides came down and it seemed to disappear before it came back up fast and through some water.

"Eliza," Beckett said with a sigh. "I'm sorry sweetie but I think it's best if you wait until you're older to go on this one."

"Kay," the little girl said though she couldn't help being disappointed.

"You know Eliza," Jim said as he was looking at the map he'd taken from the stroller. "There's a playground on a ship nearby."

"I can go to that," the little girl said hopefully as she looked at her parents.

"You can," Beckett said. "Have fun alright?"

"Wait! Can I go on the other one?" Eliza asked as they were about to leave.

"You can if it's a ride with a round boat," Castle commented. "I think it is," he told his wife when he looked at her.

"We'll go see it," Beckett said to their daughter in amusement. She then walked with her husband and their daughters before they were going through the line. When they stopped at the end, near the loading platform she said, "We should discuss our order of seating," as the others looked at her quickly when she started to speak.

"I'm sitting in the front," Julia said immediately.

"Are you sure you want to?" Castle asked. "Maybe I should, block the water a little bit."

"I think we're going to get wet anywhere Dad," Alexis commented. "Why don't you let me sit in the front and then you right behind Jules?"

"Sure," Julia said, not caring as she just wanted to go on the ride. They were next and she got into the seat behind her sister, trying not to bounce in excitement before she realized something. "Mom," she whispered. "My butt is wet."

"That's how wet we're going to get," Beckett told her quickly. "Do you want to stop."

"We're moving!" Julia protested though she knew her mother was only teasing her. She turned to sit forward again and watched the characters they were passing before they came to a part that was dark to her surprise. She was startled when the scene to the right lit up and she smiled seeing it was the cartoon character riding backwards on his cartoon horse. When they passed the villain carrying Nell she realized she could hear rushing water and turned forward to see there was a drop.

When they came outside to a slight drop Castle wasn't surprised when Julia cried out at the water that was splashing them before they came around a turn. He had to admire the décor of the ride as it matched the cartoon and he smiled when Julia's laughter pealed back to him and Beckett at Dudley and his horse trying to row a canoe away from the waterfall they were on. "I wish Eliza could have gone on this one," he said to his wife.

"We'll come back," Beckett said as they were going inside again. She smiled seeing the flash of a scene; since they were supposed to be inside the Wontyabe Mine; of Dudley Do-Right lighting a match with a bear right behind him. She had been interested in the ride, since the cartoon was one she and her father would watch when she was a little girl. For a moment she wondered if her father would have wanted to join them but reminded herself he'd suggested going with Eliza to the playground. She had to focus on the ride as there was a drop and she put her arms up until they came to the bottom of it.

Julia screamed when all of a sudden the water spilled over the sides of their boat and she cried, "I'm soaked!"

"So am I," Alexis laughed. "Dad? Kate?"

"We're all wet too, anyone want to get off?" Castle called to them.

Julia giggled heavily when she heard her mother and sister saying a loud, "No!" before she leaned forward. "This is like Splash Mountain," she told her sister in front of her. When Alexis nodded in agreement she then asked, "Are you liking it?"

"I wasn't a fan of that water, but we have more to come," the young woman said.

"Another one!" Julia exclaimed when she heard rushing water. But they were soon going down the drop and she cried out that time when the water came over the tops of the boat. "Mom!"

"I can't tell the water to stop sweetie," Beckett told her as they were all laughing at her indignant tone of voice. "And you saw what's probably going to be the end of the ride."

"Still," Julia said before she looked at the signs they were passing by. She couldn't help it and she read, "1 for the money, 2 for the show, 3 to turn back… or lookout belooow!" gigging as the last word was shaped like a drop. "This is going to be so cool."

Though Beckett wanted to mention the water they'd be going through they were heading up an incline and she spotted the water falling at the top of it. She had to wonder if it would stop when they got there but luckily it did and they were only getting some drops. She realized something and said behind her to her husband as they continued up the incline, "How far are we going?"

"I don't know," Castle said. "Are you sure we should have allowed Julia on this?"

"Hey! I'm big enough," the girl said in front of Beckett.

"We're at the top you guys," Alexis called to them as she was smiling, listening to them.

Julia looked ahead, thinking they'd end up going down a drop, but when they went down slightly and were going fast past some fountains squirting water she sighed. But suddenly she realized where they were as she looked past her big sister and she cried, "It's the drop!"

"Hold on to the sides," Beckett told her daughter before they were stopping at the very top of the drop.

"Mom," Julia said in slight fear, unable to forget how fast the people were going on the drop when they were outside.

"Just hold on Julia," Beckett told her firmly, hoping she would be okay when they began to move.

Not sure if she would be embarrassed at the fact she'd screamed before they could even see down the drop, Julia screamed again and kept screaming as they came down and at the bottom went on a slight hill and hit some water. When they came into more water she was closing her eyes tightly before they slowed down and were floating.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked, leaning over and touching her shoulder.

"Yeah, that was… fast," Julia said. "Good thing Lizzy didn't go on this if I was that scared."

Though they were still floating past some humorous scenes of the ride Alexis asked, "Should we go on the other water ride?"

"We might as well, we're soaked already," Beckett commented.

"That way we can get dry now," Julia said.

"We'll go," Beckett said with a smile as the girl was looking at her hopefully. "But are you going to want to go on this one again?"

"I… maybe not," Julia said. "I like Jurassic Park better… but it was cute," she said as they came to the loading platform before she climbed out. She shook her hands to get the water off them and walked with her family over to where Martha was sitting with Josie at the exit.

"Where's my dad and Eliza?" Beckett asked once she was close enough to ask.

"Still at the boat, Eliza's enjoying herself," Martha said. "And so is your father."

Smiling, as she was glad to hear that, Beckett said, "We're going to go on the other water ride now and then lunch after."

"Well the boat is over by the ride," Castle said. "We should go." He took the stroller and they made their way over to the boat where they saw that Jim was holding Eliza who was crying against his shoulder.

"She's alright," Beckett's father said with a smile as his daughter and son in law rushed over to him. "I was getting her to leave so we could meet you," he said.

"I don't wanna Mommy, it's fun," Eliza said as her mother took her.

"I know but we have a lot to… do," Beckett said. "What is it?" she asked when her daughter pulled away from her in surprise.

"You're all wet!" Eliza exclaimed, her tears forgotten.

"That's how the ride was," Julia said, going over to her. "And the last drop was really scary, I was screaming like crazy."

"We all were," Castle said.

Eliza giggled softly and said, "What are we gonna do now?"

"The last water ride," Julia told her with a wide smile. "And you can go too."

"Are you gonna come Grandpapa?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Alright," Jim said after thinking about that for a moment.

Walking to the ride, Martha looked at what she could see of it and she smiled saying, "It's like that ride at the last park we went to."

"Animal Kingdom," Julia said. "And it's Popeye," she told her little sister.

"Cool," Eliza said happily as they'd watched the cartoon with their parents before. "Oh, bye Gram."

"I'll be right here waiting," Martha said with a smile, taking Josie out of her carrier so she could hold the baby.

Walking through the line the family was able to get on the raft quickly, the girls sitting with their grandfather and big sister while Castle and Beckett were together. After they'd left the turntable they came to a rapid and some of the other six people sharing the both with them yelled when the water came into the raft.

"Ooh, I'm gonna get wet," Eliza said, giggling at her sister.

"I'm already wet so it doesn't matter," Alexis told her. "Look, it's Brutus," she said as they were passing the character with Olive Oyl in a barrel.

Eliza smiled widely at the scene but since they were going by it rapidly she couldn't really take it in. But they eventually came to rapids again and she screamed with Julia as they were sitting next to each other; though some mesh separated them; and they ended up getting soaked with water.

As the ride continued through the rapids everyone on the boat was getting wet but it wasn't until they reached a boat with a bucket at the top did anyone get soaked.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked his wife, unable to help laughing as he'd asked her since they'd both gotten hit by the water.

"Yes," Beckett said, shaking her head at the slight shock of that. But it wasn't the last time they got wet, so she was understandably relieved when they came to an incline.

"Is it a drop?" Jim asked.

"I think so but it won't be too bad," Castle told his father in law quickly when they reached the top and did go down a little drop before going quickly over the rapids. Shortly after they had reached the loading platform and he helped his wife out before they left to return to Martha, not surprised when his mother smiled while she was holding Josie against her chest to face them. And when she spoke he wasn't startled as her tone of voice took on a teasing tone though she wasn't talking to them.

"I think you and I will be eating lunch on our own Josie," Castle's mother said.

"We'll dry off enough before we go in," Beckett said in amusement.

"Where are we going though?" Castle asked.

"You didn't tell him?" Alexis asked her stepmother, doing her best not to smile at her father's obvious frustration.

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "But I know where it is, let's go." Unfortunately the restaurant she'd found wasn't that far from the ride and she said with a sigh, "We need to wait a little," as she saw there wasn't outdoor seating as she'd hoped.

"Do you like this?" Eliza asked her grandfather.

"Oh of course, I used to read the comic strips in the papers when I was young," Jim said, as the place was called the _Comic Strip Café_.

"We're going to have table service later tonight," Castle was saying to his father in law and mother. "I'm assuming this is quick service?"

"It is but they do have tables inside," Beckett said. After a few more minutes she saw that the girls weren't dripping water while they were playfully running around together, and she told them, "Come on, you're hungry now right?"

"Yeah," Julia said. "Starving. I'll pay you Tuesday for a cheeseburger today," she told her father as she went to him to take his hand, smiling when he immediately started to laugh in reaction to her.

"Then you'll have to pay me tomorrow," Castle said teasingly to her. "But for now, we'll pay for your cheeseburger."

"Are you gonna get one too Daddy?" Eliza asked him.

"I am," Castle said with a nod. "Kate?"

"Fish and chips," Beckett replied. "Do you guys know what you want?" When her father, mother in law and Alexis nodded she stepped forward with Castle while the others took the kids to get a table. Once they'd ordered they waited to get the food and she told her husband, "I know you're thinking why didn't I get Chinese but I didn't quite feel like it yet."

"You already know what you're getting at the restaurant tonight?" Castle asked her.

Shaking her head Beckett gently pushed his hand he'd placed on her side and said, "You're going to help us?"

"Yes, but I need to text your dad something," Alexis said as she'd come over to where they were standing. "The soda has about a hundred options."

"One of those machines?" Beckett asked. When her stepdaughter nodded she then said, "They can have soda but only one of the Fantas and make sure there's about half a cup of ice before they get the drinks."

Alexis texted that quickly to Jim and said, "I got the same."  
"Which one?" Castle asked.

"I just got one flavor," Alexis said wryly to him. She then said, "Tell her Dad," waiting for him to speak with her stepmother.

"I got three of the flavors," Castle said. "And I was… sick."

"It wasn't pleasant," Alexis said as Beckett was looking at him closely. "He turned an interesting shade of green."

Shaking her head Beckett told her husband, "I should just let you have water today."

" _Níl mé ina leanbh_ ," Castle growled gently into her ear, keeping that low so his daughter wouldn't hear them.

Squeezing his hand as he'd said he wasn't a child, Beckett managed to murmur to him, " _Caithfidh tú a chruthú níos déanaí_ ," telling him he'd have to prove that later. She wasn't surprised at his desperate squeeze to her hand, but their order was called so they went with Alexis to grab their trays. When they were eating with their family they were talking about the rides they'd go on right after lunch and she wasn't surprised when Eliza was asking if she could go on each one. When they were finished and walking out to the next land she said to the little girl she was walking with, "This next area is definitely for you."

"Yeah?" Eliza asked happily.

"It is," Castle said, picking her up to her squeal of joy. Once she was on his shoulders he then said, "And it's a good thing you love Dr. Seuss."

"Did Daddy say the surprise?" Eliza asked, looking down at her mother.

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "We walked through it when we came inside the park."

"Is that the Hulk coaster?" Julia said as they were passing a green one.

"It is, what do you think?" Castle asked.

"Um…" Julia said.

"It might be too much," Beckett said quickly. "We'll go on later and then let you know if you'll enjoy it."

"Thanks," Julia said before they were walking past the entrance and then were finally getting to the Dr. Seuss area. She was interested to ask where they would go as she could see some rides already before she saw something in the distance at the same time her little sister did.

"Does the Cat in the Hat have a ride?" Eliza exclaimed eagerly.

"He does," Beckett said. She then turned to her father and Martha and said, "It's a slow ride, we're going to take Josie so it's up to you two if you want to go with us."

"We'll go," Jim replied.

"We might have to go in separate cars," Castle pointed out.

"We can go with them!" Eliza said eagerly as her father helped her down off his shoulders.

"We'll go in the second car with Josie," Beckett said before they walked onto the ride. She and Castle went on the second car behind the others and since they were on their own she leaned against her husband.

Wrapping his arm around her Castle ran his hand over the back of Josie's head before he looked at the ride as they went through it. After a while he realized something and he looked at his wife, wondering if she had noticed what he had. But he could hear Julia and Eliza laughing ahead of them, so he was quiet until they'd made their way back to where they'd gotten on to the cars and the latter was rushing to him when he and Beckett were off the ride.

"Are there more?" the little girl was saying.

"More restaurants?" Castle asked, picking her up and placing her on his hip.

"No!" Eliza said in a complaining tone. "Rides!"

"There are plenty of them," Beckett said with a smile. "And we're going to one now."

"What about Josa?" Julia asked.

"This ride is really tall," Castle said as they'd reached it quickly since it wasn't that far from the Cat in the Hat ride.

"I see," Martha said. "You won't be scared?"

"Gram," Julia said with a smile as she'd been talking to her. "So Josa's not going to go?"

"I think it's better she stays off," Beckett said, checking on the baby.

"I'll go with you," Jim said. "So you're even."

When they'd left Martha on a bench in the shade with Josie in front of her Eliza asked the adults, "What's the ride called?"

"The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride," Castle said while they were going through the entrance.

Giggling Eliza said, "It's slow right?"

"It is," Beckett said.

"And there are two tracks for this, but we'll try the other one later," Beckett said.

"After dinner?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Castle said as they were heading up the stairs to the loading platform. They had a short wait and they were soon getting onto the train where he said to his wife, "Why are we together?"

"They were insistent," Beckett said with a smile. She wasn't surprised when he took her hand while the train started to move, and she said, "Should we get dessert after this?" She saw the way he was looking at her and she asked, "What?"

"I'm surprised you suggested it," Castle said, looking ahead at the large tent they were nearing. "We're getting something here right?"

"It'll take a while to get them away from here, so yes," Beckett said.

"Look!" Eliza said in amazement as they were going through a restaurant that looked like a circus with characters moving in the ceiling.

"Can you take pictures?" Alexis asked as she was sitting with her.

"It's too fast," Jim said from behind them. "So just enjoy the scenery."

"Crazy stuff," Julia said with a laugh as they were going through a building and were passing Seuss related items. "It's better than the last one," she murmured to her sister, leaving over a little so she could hear her.

"I know, there wasn't much there," Alexis said with a nod.

Seeing the Hulk roller coaster, Julia said, "Are you gonna go on that?"

"I think so," Alexis replied. "Maybe it won't be too bad."

"Ice cream!" Eliza squealed when they were passing a building that had it for décor on the roof.

"She guessed already," Castle told his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "They would have seen it anyway."

Castle didn't argue that point as he knew she was right, so he merely moved his arm to wrap it around his wife as they continued down the track until they were returning to the station. When they had gotten off the train he went to Julia and said, "There's a little more left to this area."

Shrugging her shoulders, the girl said, "I don't care. But you said something about dessert?"

"Your hearing is too good," Beckett said wryly. "But yes, we're going to have that now."

"Where?" Julia asked.

"You'll find out soon but first we have to get your gram and sister," Castle said, leading the way over to Martha and Josie.

"Was that a fun ride?" Castle's mother asked with a smile as Julia and Eliza hurried to her. "She's still asleep."

"Mom," Julia gasped as she looked over at her. "Our robes."

"I know," Beckett told her. "But we should have dessert first."

"It is ice cream!" Eliza exclaimed so loudly that Josie awoke, beginning to cry. The little girl cringed as her grandmother was getting the baby out of her carrier and said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Beckett told her, taking Josie from her mother in law. She gently bounced her as she knew the baby preferred and said, "You were a little too excited."

"Yeah," Eliza said, reaching up to gently touch her little sister's foot though she had to walk with her mother to do that. "Sorry Josa."

"She accepts your apology," Castle commented as the baby stopped crying a bit after Eliza had spoken.

"Okay, so we are going to get dessert," Beckett said after she spent a little more time getting Josie back to sleep. "And then finishing with this area before we let Julia pick the next rides."

"I don't have to," the girl said when they were walking again.

"No but you've done a great job so far," Castle commented.

Julia laughed softly and said, "Thanks," before she looked at the ice cream place in front of them. She hurried to grab her camera and took a picture as her little sister was reading the name of the place.

" _Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop_ ," Eliza said. She then smiled and said to her father, "I can have this?"

"Trust me, you're not going to hop on pop," Castle told her as that had been a joke between him and the girls when Eliza had understood what the phrase hop on pop meant. "But you should pick out your ice cream you want," he told her before he walked with her and the rest of their family closer to the windows to see the choices from the menu.

"Can we get those?" Eliza eventually asked.

"The Dippin' Dots?" Castle asked as she was pointing to the item on the bottom of the display.

"Yeah," Eliza said.

"I want those too," Julia said.

"Alright," Beckett replied. "Which flavor."

"Banana split," the girls said together before they looked at each other and started to laugh.

Beckett smiled and went to the two, putting her hands on their backs while Castle was going to order with Alexis and Jim. "What do you want to go on after we can go on the faster rides again?" she said to Julia.

Going over to the stroller, the girl picked up the map before she studied it for a moment and then said, "The Spider-Man one?"

"Let me see," Beckett said as she reached for the map. She saw the height restriction and said to Eliza, "What do you think?"

"I can go?" the little girl asked in surprise.

"You can," Beckett said. "I think it's like the Men in Black ride we went on yesterday."

"Yeah, I want to go," Eliza said eagerly.

"Okay," Beckett said with a smile as Castle was coming over to them.

"Your order was first," he told the girls, handing them the cups he had in his hands. "Enjoy."

After she had eaten her first spoonful, Julia smiled at her little sister and said, "Does it taste like one."

"Yep," Eliza said, smiling widely at her.

Taking her ice cream bar from her husband, Beckett sat next to Josie's stroller, hearing the baby shortly after waking up. She checked on her and once she saw she was alright she continued with her ice cream. When she had a chance she told her husband, "Julia wants to go on the Spider-Man Ride."

"Really?" Castle asked, looking over at the girl.

Nodding Julia said, "I know you want to see that one… I do too. And Lizzy can go on it."

"Great," Castle said with a smile. "But we have a couple things here."

"I can't wait," Eliza said eagerly.

"Mom," Julia said after they'd been eating for a while. "There isn't too much left to the park after this."

"I know," Beckett replied. "But we can go on things again and you forgot something."

"We remembered our robes," Eliza commented.

"I know," Beckett said after laughing slightly. "But that's not what I meant, what I meant is you forgot about going on the Hogwarts Express."

Not surprised her sister gasped, Julia said, "Can we go on it after this area?"

"Sure," Castle said. "We want you to wait a little more before we go see Spider-Man." He wasn't surprised when the girls giggled together before they went back to their ice cream.

After they'd finished Julia took her robes from her Grandmother and said, "Hopefully you can go on the next ride."

"We'll see if it's alright for your sister to go," Martha commented.

"She can go on one of them," Beckett said, walking over to them after throwing away some of their trash.

"Are we going to that one first?" Eliza asked.

"We are," Castle said, taking the little girl and putting her on his shoulders. "For now, to the zoo!" He wasn't surprised when the girls gasped in excitement as he knew they'd quickly figured out it dealt with the Dr. Seuss book called _If I Ran the Zoo_. He smiled at his wife as they were suddenly naming all the 'animals' from the book, laughing together at the names. They walked over to what was going to be a maze and he was relieved they didn't seem to mind what was going to be next. And he had to admit to himself, patting Eliza's leg when she began to laugh, that he was eager to go through what they had left of the park as well to get to see the girls' obvious excitement again.


	22. Partial To Your Abracadabra (Part 2)

Jumping up and down on her seat, Eliza wasn't surprised when her mother put her hand on her shoulder and she smiled saying, "Sorry."

"Don't worry, we're going to start soon," Beckett replied as they were going through the streets of the beginning of the ride. "And put your glasses on or else you won't be able to see."

Nodding, Eliza slipped on the 3D glasses she had before she felt her sister next to her grab her arm and she looked up in time to see the shadow of Spider Man swinging across the top of the building. She squealed and then looked at her father saying, "Did you see?"

Castle nodded as they were passing by buildings that had the Spidey signal going over them before it disappeared and they came to a scene where Spider Man was in an alley. He wasn't surprised when the girls gasped; as it looked very realistic though it was a screen; when he looked at the two he couldn't help the laughter that escaped him at the sight of Eliza trying to reach out and touch the superhero as it was right in front of them before it swung away on a web.

When a garbage truck came in front of them Julia laughed when her sister cried out though she knew she wasn't really scared. They left the screen and were soon going through some scenes before they were coming to Dr. Octopus holding the Statue of Liberty hostage. She smiled when they moved to another screen, still amazed at how clear everything was before she glanced at her mother, seeing she was watching too. She knew her parents had read comic books when they'd been young; she and Eliza had read some of their father's rarer ones; but she had never gotten into the superhero genre. She felt a little guilty, but she decided when they finished the ride; as they were going through more incredible scenes at the same time; to tell him that she'd really enjoyed it.

Beckett wasn't surprised, when they'd gotten off the ride, that Eliza was talking to her father excitedly about it. She then noticed Julia, watching her for a moment before she went to Castle and took his free hand.

"Hey sweetheart," Castle said, smiling at her. "Did you enjoy that?"

"A lot," Julia said earnestly. "It was pretty cool, and it felt like it was a real-life Spider Man."

"It did," Castle said with a nod. "Now you need to pick out what we go on next." He watched the girl take the map; once they were back with Martha and Josie again; and wondered what she'd choose before she was closing the paper quickly and turning her attention to them all with a determined look on her face.

"I want to go on the Hulk," Julia told them. She wasn't surprised when her parents shared a glance and she said, "I know you don't want me to get scared, but I've been on big roller coasters before. Now I'm older how about I go on the bigger ones?"

"More intense," Alexis whispered to her.

"Those," Julia said, smiling at their parents.

"Alright, luckily it's been a while since we've eaten," Beckett said.

"And you're not going on the drop ride," Castle added.

Laughing, Julia said, "I didn't want to go on that one. Just try out this one."

"What can I do?" Eliza asked interestedly.

"Want to walk through the zoo again?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, Josa can go too right?" Eliza asked with a gasp.

"All of us will," Jim said, taking her hand.

"We'll meet you in the Seuss area," Beckett told her father and mother in law as she, Castle, Alexis and Julia were taking off their robes for the roller coaster. "And after this we'll just end up going on rides again."

Julia waited for them to head to the roller coaster before she asked her parents, "Could we go to the rides at Hogsmeade?"

"Of course," Castle said. "Those are the only ones we haven't gone on yet today."

"How long until we have dinner?" Alexis asked them as they were getting in line for the ride.

"We have two hours," Beckett said first. "Why?" she said, thinking her stepdaughter had an idea in mind.

"I wanted to take the girls on some things," Alexis said.

"I think we can let Jim and Mother go on rides themselves," Castle said, looking at his wife before his daughter was speaking before Beckett could.

"I don't know they'd want to," Alexis replied. "Gram's gone on what she wanted to; she told me."

When her stepdaughter looked at her Beckett said, "I'd have to ask my father… I don't know if he'd really want to go on anything else that he hasn't already."

"What'll we do love?" Castle asked, keeping his voice low as they were walking down the line again and were near the loading platform.

"I don't know, but no water rides, please," Beckett told him with a smile.

"I agree, I don't want to have to walk around again soaked," Castle said, shaking his head. He saw they were next, and he said, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Julia said though she couldn't deny she was feeling some slight nervousness.

"Who're you going to go on with?" Alexis asked her sister.

"With Mom," Julia replied rapidly, reaching for her hand.

"Good, I was going to insist you did," Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her. She squeezed her close and said, "If you get scared-"

"I saw the ride already; I'll be okay Mom," Julia interrupted before she smiled at her. "I'm not a baby anymore."

"No, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to stop worrying," Beckett said, squeezing her shoulder with her hand. They were called onto the next roller coaster and she went first before she watched Julia follow her before the over they pulled the shoulder restraints down. "Good?" she asked her.

"Yeah, we need these," Julia said firmly before she smiled. "Are you nervous?" she asked.

"Slightly, especially since I've never been on this before," Beckett said. She glanced at the workers that had been checking the restraints and then told her, "Here we go."

Julia nodded and then smiled at Alexis and Castle, who were to her right, as they were both cheering loudly while they were going up an incline. They were going steeply, and she laughed when her father cheered as a female voice was talking about gamma rays. She watched while they were nearing the light that she knew would be outside before they were suddenly launching fast and she was screaming.

Yelling at the force of that, Castle couldn't help still being worried about Julia but it was hard to focus when they were coming into the outdoors and twisting around immediately. They swooped down to the water and he yelled in exhilaration when they went into a loop and then seemed to turn right then left before going into yet another inversion.

Beckett could feel her daughter's hand on hers which was holding onto her restraints and she looked at her. At the same moment they were going into another loop and she wasn't surprised when Julia's eyes were just barely open before they went through a short, fog filled tunnel. They came out to a swoop that banked to the left and she was relieved when she heard the exhilarated cry leave her oldest's lips. Once they were out of that they went into a corkscrew that led to yet another loop.

Julia wanted to ask how many of those there were, but she was trying to handle all the forces when they came into another banked curve. When they went through some turns they were straightening and breaking before they were going down a short drop. She knew; from her dad saying the word; they were going through a corkscrew and then she lost track of what they were doing before she realized they were going through a helix from her sister telling her what that was after they'd gone to Japan. They were stopping after and she smiled at her mother saying, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Beckett said firmly, looking at her daughter as closely as she could.

Nodding Julia said, "It went really fast."

"It did, so did you enjoy it at least?" Alexis asked her sister.

"Yes, but I don't need to go on it again," Julia said, smiling at her father who was leaning over to look at her. "But now we can go on the tower ride."

Since they were getting off the train then Castle said, "Oh no, we don't need to do that. Besides, you wanted to go to the Harry Potter section, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Julia said. "And I know one thing Lizzy and I will want to do right now."

"I think we're going for a train ride love," Castle commented.

"I think so," Beckett said with a smile, not surprised when their oldest jumped up once in her excitement. She took her husband's hand while Julia and Alexis were walking together, and they headed over to Seuss Landing to meet the rest of their family so they could take the Hogwarts Express on a round trip from Hogsmeade. She squeezed his hand, wondering what they would do once they had returned and looking forward to the time they would have alone.

* * *

Pulling away from his wife, Castle ran his hand through her hair and said, "Do I need to stop?"

"I think so," Beckett said with a smile. She brushed her lips against his and said, "Too risky someone would walk over here."

Looking around the slight alcove they'd found in the path from Hogsmeade to the Jurassic Park section, Castle nodded and said, "It'll have to do for now."

"For now," Beckett said with a slight smile. "What should we do now?"

"You're the one looking at the map," Castle replied.

"I'd like to go back to Diagon Alley," Beckett admitted.

"A drink?" Castle asked.

"Yes, but I did want to get the girls that for dessert," Beckett said.

"We don't need to get one later," Castle pointed out. "But we'd have to go on the train again."

"Alright," Beckett said.

"What did you really want to go on?" Castle asked, studying her.

The two shared a look before they stood up from the bench they'd found at the same time before they walked around to Toon Lagoon where they got in their line for the Dudley Do-Right ride. They'd left their robes with the stroller their parents had with them, so they were able to get onto their boat without having to worry about them.

As they set off Beckett glanced at the couple in front of them and then back at her husband before she said in Irish, " _We're finding our parents after this_."

" _They might not want to go on rides_ ," Castle pointed out.

" _No but we're spending time with the baby_ ," Beckett said. She smiled when he nodded and then looked ahead to give more attention to the ride.

When they'd gone on the drop and were finally past the last hill Castle was about to tell his wife they should go on a ride with their youngest though she wouldn't really notice when they were suddenly being squirted by the hoses that were there. "Hey!" he said when he could see that Julia and Eliza were where the controls were for those.

"Sorry," Alexis called as she'd paid for them to be able to spray them.

"Are they gonna be really mad?" Eliza asked as she and Julia turned to her.

"No, but I wonder why they went on this ride," Alexis commented.

"Why did we go on the Popeye ride?" Julia pointed out as that was where they'd just come from.

"You got me there," Alexis said before she laughed with her sisters. They waited for their parents to come out to them and once they had she said, "We got wet too."

"Popeye?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, we wanted to go on it again," Julia said. "It is summer."

"Very true," Beckett said. "Do you have any idea where Martha and my dad are?"

"By Jurassic Park, they're watching people coming down the drops," Eliza said first.

"Still? We came off that and saw them standing at the railing," Beckett said as they walked away from the ride to the Jurassic Park area.

"They're in the shade and Jim said he was going to get them some drinks when we saw them," Alexis said. "Julia and I went."

"Grandpapa took me on my roller coaster," Eliza said proudly before she was giggling as her family laughed. She went up on her father's shoulders, watching for the ride before she spotted her grandparents first and called out to them to get their attention.

"Hello, are you finished?" Martha called to them.

"No, we came to get Josie," Castle told her, setting Eliza down.

"But-" Jim started to say.

"We don't mind," Beckett told her father as she was taking the baby from her carrier. "We've gone on what we wanted to already."

"Everything?" Martha said.

"We did," Castle assured her before he said, "Now you guys can go on any rides you'd like."

"Well," Martha said slowly. "I'd like to go on this ride now."

"Are you sure? You'll probably get a little wet," Julia told her.

"I'm sure, just once," Martha replied.

"I'll take Eliza on the roller coaster over there," Jim replied. "Since I've been on this already."

"Are we meeting back here?" Martha asked.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "You should go with the girls and spend the rest of the hour left."

"Are you sure you don't want to go on anything?" Alexis asked them.

"We're sure," Castle said. "Have fun," he said before his wife echoed him. He watched with her as their family split up at the rides and then turned to her when they were out of sight, studying her for a moment before he leaned over to the baby.

"We can talk about that now," Beckett told her husband as she watched him pressing a kiss to the top of Josie's head. When he looked up at her she said, "It would be difficult for all their official papers."

"And you've never liked hyphenated names," Castle said.

"Not really," Beckett replied. "But… it's something I'd like to do."

"If you're sure," Castle said, watching her closely. He thought she'd hesitated but when she didn't say anything he squeezed her hand gently.

Nodding her head eventually Beckett said, "We'll start the process once we're back home. Do you think we should follow them when they're done?"

"You figured they'd go around together?" Castle asked. When his wife gave him a look he smiled and said, "Maybe we should stay."

"Or go around by the restaurant and tell them to meet us there," Beckett commented.

"Sure," Castle replied. "Hopefully there's shade."

"There should be," Beckett said. She then looked down at the baby who was gurgling, and she asked with a smile, "What's so funny sweetie?"

"She's laughing at us, our planning," Castle said.

Moving Josie so she was sitting up leaning back against her hand, Beckett said, "You'll have to get used to that Josie, we're always doing that."

Castle laughed when the baby made an "Aaa," sound and he said, "I'll translate, 'I'm hungry.'"

Shaking her head Beckett said, "She's eaten already." She smiled as her husband was looking at Josie's bag; to find one of the bottles was empty; and she told him, "She couldn't wait for dinner."

"I don't blame you," Castle said, reaching out for the baby. Once he had her in his arms he turned her carefully so she was against his chest facing out while he got up and looked at his wife, raising his eyebrow slightly without saying a word as she stood herself.

Reaching out to her husband, Beckett gently cupped his cheek before she went over to the railing at the drop. Leaning against it she looked at her husband as he stood next to her and she reached out to Josie, brushing the back of her finger against her cheek. "You don't want to go on this again?" she asked him when she turned her attention to him.

"We don't need to," Castle replied before he paused as a boat was coming down the drop. When he heard Josie letting out a higher pitched noise he looked at her with his wife and they saw that the baby was moving around before she looked up briefly before yawning. "I really wish we could translate that," he told Beckett.

Laughing slightly, she said, "I think she's enjoying herself." Beckett looked over at the drop as another boat came down and she said, "I'm surprised."

"Well… Mother will be fine with the drop of course," Castle said. "But if they try to take her to the Hulk…"

" _Is it because of her appearance on the show_?" Beckett asked in Irish with a smile.

" _No, that's a little too much for her_ ," Castle replied. " _She's adventurous but not that much_."

Nodding Beckett squeezed his arm before they heard another boat starting down the drop in the building. When the boat appeared, she was able to quickly discern his mother, Alexis and Julia where in the front row as their oldest's shirt was a vibrant blue. "They had fun," she said in amusement as she could see her mother in law was laughing with the two.

"I know," Castle said, waving with his wife as Julia noticed them. "Sit back down?" he asked his wife.

"Come on," Beckett said firmly, taking his free hand and pulling him back to the stroller so they could walk over to the exit of the ride where they could meet their three family members just as Julia was rushing out to them.

"Gram loved it," the girl said eagerly. "But she said she'd only go that one time," she said in slight disappointment.

"It's getting close to dinner," Castle said. "And I don't think she wants to get wet again."

Looking startled Julia asked, "How did you know?"

"I figured you'd ask," Castle said.

"I saw the drop at that Dudley Do-Right," Martha commented. "And it was enough to watch. We need another ride."

"There's Grandpapa and Lizzy," Julia said as she spotted them coming over towards them.

Turning Beckett smiled when she saw the little girl was talking to Jim animatedly and she said to the others, "I think she had fun."

"A lot of fun," Julia said, taking her mother's hand and squeezing it tightly.

When they were all together the family turned to Julia to pick a ride and after she had suggested going on the rides in the Harry Potter section Castle quickly spoke.

"Kate and I are staying with Josie," he told them. "And we'll go over to where we're going to eat for dinner."

"Where Daddy? We have to know," Eliza said.

"She's right," Martha said.

" _Mythos Restaurant_ ," Beckett said before Castle could speak. "In the Lost Continent section."

"Cool," Julia said. She thought of something and said, "Think anyone's going to be there?"

"I don't know," Castle said when he and his wife shared a look. "It's a big park and I know some of the others went to the other one too. They could be eating there for all we know."

"We'll see you in an hour," Beckett said. She watched them leave; after the girls had hugged them both; and she said to her husband, "Let's go."

Nodding, Castle pushed the stroller while his wife walked with him and he reached out to her, taking her hand for a moment. When they were in the area and by the restaurant he was looking around for a more secluded spot before they were sitting on a bench on a fake rock structure. He pulled her close and they kissed, murmuring he loved her when they'd parted before she was leaning against him with his arm around her. They spent their hour watching the baby and talking together, remaining close to take the chance they had until they needed to meet with their family once again.

* * *

"Mom? Are we gonna have dessert here?" Julia asked her mother.

With a smile Beckett said, "I'm not surprised you're asking about that already." She closed her menu and said, "We'll tell you what we're going to do after this."

Nodding Julia wanted to say something else, but she hesitated before she looked across the table at her little sister who was talking about the other park. She glanced at her parents; who she was sitting in the middle of; and then said, "That's what we're doing aren't we?"

"Yes," Castle said first. "We figured we have a little more rides there for Eliza too. But Julia if you want to come back here once they go to the hotel we can do that."

"Maybe," the girl said with a nod. She then smiled and said, "I'll see what I feel like after." Their waitress was coming over and she ordered her food, waiting for her family to before she quickly said to her father, "We're going to Volcano Bay tomorrow, right?"

"Yep, our very last park of some sort," Castle replied. "Are you eager to try it?"

"Are there gonna be slides for me?" Eliza asked.

"I was wondering that too," Jim said. "Since it's not Disney."

Nodding Beckett said, "There are, they don't forget little kids luckily."

Gasping Eliza said, "Does that mean we're gonna go on the train?" She paused as she realized what she'd said and then told the others, "I mean after dinner?"

"Yes, and then we'll try out that section for your age," Castle said.

Seeing how the little girl looked unsure Julia said, "You want to go to the Dr. Seuss part first huh?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, looking at their parents.

"We can do that," Castle replied with a smile. "Actually, that would be fun, who wants to go on that trolley again?"

"Me!" Eliza said, raising her hand high before Martha made her put it down.

"'lexis?" Julia said.

"Yes?" the young woman asked.

"You don't want to pick any rides?" Julia said.

"Don't worry, you're picking all the really good rides," Alexis said.

"What about that ride at the other park? The roller coaster I mean," Julia said before she quickly corrected herself.

Smiling Alexis said, "We can go on that but a lot later."

Nodding Julia looked at their view of the lake in the middle of the park as the adults were talking about the water park the next day and if Martha would have a cabana to stay in with the babies. She was relieved when their food was brought over; as she was starving; and she bit into her salad wrap eagerly.

After a while of eating Castle noticed they weren't really talking but he knew they were a little more tired than they'd been the day before as it had been warmer, even with the cloud cover. He then said to his wife, " _Good thing you had the idea for dessert that you did_ ," speaking in Irish.

" _I know, we'll go there first thing once we're there_ ," Beckett said, setting down her fork.

"What did you say?" Eliza asked. "Was it about dessert?"

When she and the others had stopped laughing Beckett said, "Why did you say that?"

"'Cause you'd keep that a secret," Julia answered before her sister could say anything.

"They're smart," Castle commented as Eliza was nodding rapidly in agreement. "And it is but it was just a comment. We already know what we're going to do."

"Cool," Julia said, shrugging at her little sister before they went back to their food. When they were finished she put her robes back on rapidly and reached into her pocket though her wand was in one of the bags on the stroller. "Can we do the spells once we go back over to the other side?"

"What about on this side?" Martha asked.

Nodding Julia said, "Since we know where everything is we can do them really fast."

"I think now the question is what would you like to do more? The spells on this side, the train and then the spells on the other side and then dessert. Or else the Dr. Seuss-"

"The spells!" the girls said at the same time.

Beckett smiled and said, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we went on the Dr. Seuss stuff more than before," Eliza said quickly. "I want us to get to do the spells."

"Then let's head over to Hogsmeade," Castle told them before they began to walk over to that section. As they were walking Eliza was taking his hand and he picked her up, not surprised that Julia started to whistle the main theme from the _Harry Potter_ movies. He laughed shortly and then joined them before Beckett stopped them when they walked through the gates of Hogsmeade and they went together to the first window, holding their wands and ready to perform the spells so they could go over to the other park and Diagon Alley in London.

* * *

"Is that the drink?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"It is," Beckett said with a smile. "Remember we're sharing this."

"I know," the little girl said, taking the cup that her mother handed her carefully. "Sorry," Eliza told Julia who would be sharing the drink with them.

"We're just lucky we get to try it," the girl replied, shrugging. She watched her little sister sipping at the drink and said, "How is it?"

"Good," Eliza said with a smile, handing her the cup.

Sipping herself Julia smiled and said, "It's orange soda."

"It is," Castle said, watching her.

"How's yours?" Beckett asked as he was drinking Fishy Green Ale.

"Good, weird name but it's good," Castle replied.

"Mommy," Eliza said. "Why am I drinking this before I go to bed?"

"You won't be drinking too, too much," Beckett told her. "And you're tired too," she said as she saw that the little girl was yawning. "I think you'll be able to sleep."

"Yeah," Eliza said with a sigh as she took another sip while her mother was holding the cup.

"But you had fun," Jim commented as they were sitting all together outside the bar.

"Yeah," Eliza repeated before she got up on her mother's lap.

Holding her to her Beckett gently stroked the little girl's hair before she said to her father and mother in law, "After this you can head back."

"What about Dani and Sophie?" Julia asked.

"We got a text from them, David and Brad are taking them to the hotel room before they come back and go with their families for the rest of the night," Castle answered. When the girl nodded he finished his drink before he said, "For now though we'll have to go on slower rides."

"I know," Julia said as she took the last sip of the orange drink. She watched as her grandparents said goodnight to Eliza; who was nearly asleep in Jim's arms; before Alexis was doing so and she hurried to join her. After they'd said goodnight to the little girl who was fully asleep she watched Castle cradle her little sister in his arms.

"Love you sweetheart," he told Eliza, kissing her forehead. When she only slightly shifted in his arms he smiled and then turned to his wife and let her lean over to kiss their daughter too.

"Sweet dreams Eliza," Beckett told her in a whisper, brushing her lips to her hairline. "I love you sweetie." She watched as her father took the little girl and said, "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Have fun," Martha said, watching her son and daughter in law say goodnight to Josie who'd been asleep for some time.

"We will, night," Julia said to them as she'd said a fuller goodnight while her parents had been with Eliza. She then smiled as they were leaving before she said to her parents, "I know what to do first," not surprised they were walking over to the ride in that section after they'd both taken her by the hands.

"How do you know you're right?" Alexis asked after she and her little sister had begun laughing.

"We're guessing," Castle said, looking at the girl.

"I wanted to go back over to the other park," Julia said quickly. "We've gone on all the rides I wanted to here."

"Okay," Beckett said before they were turning around. She and Castle let go of her hands before they were holding each other's hands as they made their way around to the building that was supposed to be King's Cross Station in London. Their daughters led the way onto the train and inside their compartment they were sitting on one side of the seats while she and Castle were together on the other.

"I'm surprised you're not bored with this," he told her.

"It's still fun," Alexis replied. They started to move when she realized her little sister was looking at her. "Are you going to ask about Louis?" she asked though the owl was flying by the train outside the window.

At first Julia was going to shake her head before she made herself pause and then nodded before she said, "I was, it's gotta be boring."

"Not really," Alexis said reassuringly. "I'm happy to spend time with you remember."

Nodding Julia said, "At least he'll see you in your bikini tomorrow."

Alexis felt as if her face was on fire as their parents laughed softly in reaction to that and she said, "I think first off he'll see me. And I'll see him when we get to our room."

"Yeah," Julia said. She saw they were nearing Hogsmeade and she said quickly, "Sorry."

"That's okay," Alexis said with a smile. She squeezed her hand before she could feel the train was slowing down and when it stopped she was going to ask her sister what they would do once they were outside when Julia was making a beeline for their parents though they weren't that far away.

"I want to go on Dudley Do-Right," the girl said firmly.

Castle wasn't surprised when his wife reached over to him and he kept quiet though he wasn't about to make smart-ass remark about that with their young daughter.

"Are you sure?" Beckett said.

"Yeah, it's warm still," Julia said. "And a little…" she started to say before looking at the sky.

"Sunny enough," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But we need to get a locker for our bag," she told them.

"Should we just go on all the water rides?" Alexis asked.

"I think so, but we'll be walking around for a while," Castle directed to Julia.

"That's fine," the girl said. She then smiled and said, "We're gonna go to the water park tomorrow."

"This is a preview for that?" Beckett asked.

Julia giggled and hugged her mother as tightly as she could before she said, "The lockers?"

"Yes," Beckett replied, squeezing her back before they were walking over to the Jurassic Park ride where there were lockers outside the entrance. Castle took her bag with their robes and wands and she turned to the girls with her, smiling as Julia was jumping up and down before the girl was speaking.

"I'm so happy," Julia told them.

"How come?" Alexis asked her.

"'Cause you're with us now," Julia replied. "Do you want to go on the Hulk ride?"

"That's alright," Alexis said before she paused when her stepmother touched her arm.

"You can go with your dad, I can go with Julia somewhere else," Beckett said.

"Probably go on one of the rides in Hogsmeade," Castle commented as he walked over to them in time to hear them.

"Ready?" Beckett asked Julia with a smile.

"Yep," the girl said, going over to their line with her family. Once they were on the boat and sitting in the front she leaned against her father and said, "Should I take a nap."

"If you'd like to," Castle replied. "But it might insult the dinosaurs."

"Dad," Julia said wryly. "They just want to eat."

"Pay attention you guys," Beckett said gently, sitting on the other side of her husband.

Castle smiled at their daughter before they turned their attention to the dinosaurs they were passing. When they had gone down the drop he looked over at Julia and Alexis, seeing they were teasing each other about how wet their hair was. He glanced at his wife to find she was reaching for his hand, taking hers quickly before he said, " _Ba cheart dúinn dul ar ár gcuid féin_?"

"Do you mind if we stick around with you?" Alexis asked them when they were on the loading platform.

"How-" Beckett asked with wide eyes as her husband had asked if they should go on their own.

"I don't know what you said," Alexis said before she pulled her father while Julia was getting Beckett. When they were outside of the ride she then said to the two, "The way you were looking at each other clued me in."

Beckett bit at her lower lip slightly before she said, "I was about to tell him no. To us going on our own. We did that already."

"She's right," Castle said rapidly. "We should head over to… Which one?"

Julia smiled when her father directed the question to her and said, "Dudley Do-Right, we get to that one first." When they started to walk, she hurried to her mother and hugged tightly saying, "You know you and Dad can go somewhere by-"

"No, no," Beckett said quickly, cutting her off. "We did that remember, we want to spend time with you guys."

Turning to her big sister Julia said, "Should we find them a spot?"

"I think so, before this ride or after?" Alexis asked. "Or maybe after the last water ride. We can go check out that ship that Lizzy played on."

"Oh, that's perfect," Julia said earnestly before they turned to their parents.

"What are you guys talking about? We just-" Castle started to say.

"Not let us go on rides alone," Alexis told them with a smile. "Just to let you kiss. At least once."

Glancing at his wife briefly, Castle turned to their daughters and said, "I don't think you guys need to worry about that. For now, we should go over on this ride."

Julia couldn't help looking at her big sister in frustration; as she knew Alexis had seen what she had in the way their parents had looked at one another; before the young woman was taking her hand to squeeze it gently. She let the matter drop as they were going through the line, but she then asked in French, " _Tu ne veux pas… t'embrasser_?"

With a swift smile at her husband at their daughter's pronunciation of the question that they didn't want to kiss, Beckett turned to Julia and said the words of course in French, " _Bien sûr_ ," before she switched to English. "But for now we need to focus on the park."

Nodding, Julia hurried with her sister as they were going to be in the front of their boat they'd be getting. Once she was sitting she turned to look back at the others and said, "Should we see who gets the wettest?"

"It's probably going to be you," Castle commented. "You're the one who's in the front for that drop."

"Are you sure you want to sit there?" Beckett asked her daughter.

With a smile to her mother Julia nodded and said, "I kinda have to be, it's too late to switch now." She laughed with her family before they turned their attention to the ride and she started to let out light screams when she got wet which was often. She did her best not to get scared on the last drop, but it was next to impossible and she was screaming before they slowed down after the hills.

"What's wrong?" Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her daughter as she was sighing while they walked out of the ride.

"I don't know why I would get so scared," Julia said. "Especially now 'cause I've been on it already."

"It's a thrill," Alexis told her. She smiled when her little sister looked at her and said, "Even I get nervous at the top."

Julia thought that over and realizing her sister wouldn't really lie to her about that, nodded before she hurried over to her from her mother. Taking her hand, she said, "Are you sure you didn't want to get a Quidditch robe?"

"I'm sure," Alexis replied with a smile. "I'll probably just wear these robes for Halloween so better I stick with these." She saw her sister was looking hesitant and she asked, "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head rapidly Julia said, "Not wrong, I'm just wondering what you're gonna do for Halloween. Where will you be? And us too?"

"We'll find out," Alexis said, looking at their parents who were behind them.

Since they were at the water raft ride Julia let the matter drop and turned her attention to the line before she said, "Can I sit with 'lexis?" when they were near the end of the line.

"We're not going to kiss," Beckett told her wryly. She laughed softly when her daughter crossed her eyes before saying, "But we can sit like that." When they reached the loading platform she went behind the girls and ahead of her husband into their boat which they were sharing with four other people. Once they were sitting and starting through the water she said to Julia who was to her left, "How're you doing?"

"You mean how wet I am?" the girl asked with a smile.

"I think we all got soaked," Alexis pointed out to them with a smile. "So good thing we didn't make it a contest."

Julia nodded before they were reaching the first rapids and she cried out heavily as she and her mother were getting splashed first. She laughed and told her, "Good thing this was the last water ride!"

"I know," Beckett said, laughing herself. They continued through the rapids and were all getting wet until they were back at the turntable platform where they got out of the raft with the other people riding with them. "Well, I think now is a good time to walk around," she told the others.

"Can we go and do the spells again?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Castle said. "And is anyone thirsty?" he asked them.

"I am," Julia said quickly. "Cold Butterbeer?" she asked her mother.

"We'll share again," Beckett said with a sigh.

"I'll share with Jules," Alexis told her as they were heading to the lockers where their bag still was. She smiled when her sister rushed to her, wrapping her arm around her before they walked together.

" _You know we could let them go around together for the spells_ ," Beckett commented to her husband in Irish.

" _Drink our beer in peace_?" Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife just glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and he smiled telling her, " _We don't have to kiss_."

Beckett didn't verbally reply to that before he was heading to get to the locker and she turned to the girls, startled to see that the two seemed to have identical smiles on their faces before her stepdaughter was speaking first.

"Jules wanted to say something about you two kissing," Alexis said.

"I don't think we will, but why are you…?" Beckett asked her.

Alexis glanced around them before she said, "Their enthusiasm for that is catching. And Dad's happy so…"

"Okay, we're ready because our wands are ready," Castle said as he walked back out to his wife and their daughters. He looked at the three of them before saying, "Okay?"

"Yeah, let's go and get that drink first," Beckett told him.

Walking together to _The Hog's Head_ , Castle watched Alexis head inside with Julia to treat them all to the Butterbeer herself and he and Beckett sat together at a table that was outside. "Okay?" he repeated.

Beckett smiled and related her conversation with their daughters before she watched in surprise as her husband picked up her hand from the table and then kissed the back of it. " _Thank you_ ," she said in Irish.

" _We'll be in DC soon_ ," Castle said, not letting go of her hand. "But," he then said in English. "I'll remind you that Patrick is there." He paused for a moment and said, "And your brother too."

Giving him a look, Beckett was distracted when their daughters came out to them and she saw there were two 'mugs' of Butterbeer with them. "Frozen or hot?" she asked them.

With a smile Julia said, "Hot, we tried the other ones already. Plus 'lexis said you'd be worried we would catch a cold."

"Not really," Castle said in amusement as the two were looking at him. He took the mug for himself and Beckett and let her have it to take the first sip. "Good?" he asked her.

"It is," she replied, letting him take it for his turn. Watching him, as their daughters were talking to each other, Beckett couldn't help herself and she leaned over to him, brushing her lips to his cheek.

"Was that enough?" Castle asked the girls when they immediately stopped and were looking at them.

"I guess for here it is," Julia said with a smile. "Can we take our drink and go around to the spells?"

"I'll make sure we don't drop this," Alexis said.

"We can take turns," Julia told her big sister firmly, giving her a mock pout.

"Go, we'll join you when we're ready," Beckett told them, smiling.

Watching them going Castle said, "Speaking of DC, I have to ask about the photoshoot."

Shaking her head Beckett told him, "We'll tell them on the way to the shoot. It's in the morning."

"You got a time for it?" Castle asked. He was a little startled when she handed him her phone before he read the e-mail on the screen before he said, " _He'll be there_."

" _He said he wants to see_ Skye _again_ ," Beckett said with a smile as her husband had spoken in Irish.

Nodding Castle said, " _Will we be treated to any singing you think_?"

" _Maybe_ ," Beckett said, smiling again. She took back her phone and said, " _But I'm a little more_ …"

" _Don't say resigned to it_ ," Castle said in disappointment when she didn't continue.

Shaking her head Beckett took his hand, entwining their fingers before she said, " _No, I'm anticipating it_."

" _Pos_ -" Castle began.

" _Positively_ ," Beckett said in mock annoyance, rolling her eyes before she smiled. " _Hopefully the girls will be fine with how long it'll take to get the pictures done_."

" _I'm certain already_ Julia _will be_ ," Castle said firmly. He smiled when Beckett laughed softly, and he gently pulled on her hand to bring her closer to him. Their lips brushed together and when they parted he smiled again at her saying, " _I love you_ ," in Irish.

" _I love you too_ ," Beckett replied. She kissed him briefly again before they stood up, taking their bag with them as they made their way over to where they could already see their daughters in front of _Zonko's Joke Shop_. She took her wand from her husband before they took each other's free hands as Julia and Alexis turned to them with wide smiles on their faces. Beginning with the _Incendio_ spell they began to go around Hogsmeade to continue their last time at a theme park on their vacation, enjoying the experience and their time because they were doing so together.


	23. In A Sunshine

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: I was happy to get the review I did for two chapters back and the last chapter as well so I'll go ahead to my thank yous for that! Mb (I was pleased to see that you thought the first half of the chapter was a sweet update. Really glad that you were enthralled with how I described the Harry Potter part of Universal. And I'm not surprised that hearing it from both me and your niece you want to go there, hopefully you can one day. I'm not surprised you love seeing them having a fun and happy time together, but I'm glad you did of course. And you're welcome for the first half! And of course, it was nice reading you thought the second half was sweet, funny and loving. I figured it was time for someone to recognize them, lol, and I figured the store would work best. I'm really happy you thought the Quidditch robes were fantastic to get, along with the broom for Eliza. And I'm glad you love how the kids are close and that you can tell the friendships will last all their lives and grow too even when they have families. And thanks for catching up, even at work! You're welcome for the second half too!),

Mb (It was really nice to see you thought the first half of the chapter was sweet and funny. I'm not surprised you really want to go to Universal Studios, it is a nice resort. And I'm glad you love the happiness and joy you can feel from all of them. I'm also happy that you love that they make sure they include Martha, Jim and Josie and make sure they are having fun. I was wondering if readers would notice the mention of Martha being on an episode of The Incredible Hulk so I'm glad you loved that. I looked into it and there is a hotel in London that has Harry Potter themed rooms. I saw pictures for them and it's not fully themed, just a hint at Gryffindor I believe since the rooms they had were just red and yellow and a sort of Gryffindor crest. But you were right about that. Great you thought the first half was a sweet update. And you're welcome for it! I was glad too that you thought the second half was sweet and fun again. And of course, I'm happy you love the family time together. And yeah, the water rides will get you very wet but in Florida in the summer I'm sure it's appreciated. Though I do agree with you about the hair, lol, mine would be too if I didn't keep it in a braid but hats will help too you're right. Pleased to see you thought it was very good. And you're welcome for sharing the second half too!),

Emma (It was nice to read you're enjoying this story, I always worry about the summer vacation ones since there's no drama with a case. And I'm really happy that you enjoy the way I write them with their closest friends and their family time too, those are my favorite to write. You're welcome!) and

TORONTOSUN (Great you like the story. And I'm happy you thought there were good moments for everyone since I have a lot of people to write about, lol).

Thanks for the reviews, it was great reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Gone Troppo_ by George Harrison, from his album the same name as the song.

In A Sunshine

"That volcano is so cool."

"Yeah."

"The volcano's gonna erupt."

"What?" Mari asked with a gasp as she looked at her friend. When she saw the smile on Julia's face she groaned and playfully pushed at her saying, "That was mean."

"Sorry, I didn't think you were paying attention to me," the girl said. Julia glanced around them at the Waturi beach they were in front of, waiting for her grandmother to get settled in her cabana at Volcano Bay with the babies and Dani.

"We're set Mother?" Castle asked as he walked into the structure.

"I am, go and have fun," Martha said.

"We'll let you head out too," Beckett said, coming up behind her husband. She smiled at her mother in law, as she was peering at the two babies, and she touched Castle's back before they turned around to head to where everyone was gathering around Alexis who had a map.

"I don't know why I'm holding this," the young woman said jokingly, handing it over to her stepmother.

Laughing briefly, Beckett looked at where they were at that moment compared to the slides and she said, "We can go four at a time on the Krakatau Aqua Coaster."

"What's the height restriction?" Skye asked.

"Forty-two inches," Beckett answered.

"We'll head over to the area for toddlers," David said as he and his wife looked at Dani who was splashing with Eliza in the waters of the wave pool in front of them.

"Are you sure?" Mari asked.

"We'll take her," Skye said. "She'll even out our numbers. But you'll be able to head out with her later."

"Thank you," Rebecca replied with a smile.

As they walked together to the slide Julia said to her parents, "Is this like the roller coaster at the water park at Disney?"

"Most likely," Castle said.

"Hopefully you'll enjoy it," Beckett told her daughter teasingly. She smiled when her oldest made a playful face at her before she went over to Mari. She was about to get Skye's attention when she felt her husband was taking her hand and she looked at him questioningly.

"We'll let her go on this, right?" Castle asked her.

"I think we can," Beckett replied. She then smiled slightly and asked him, "What did you really want to ask."

"I can't hide anything from you," Castle commented wryly.

"No, you can't," Beckett said firmly, still staring at him though they were walking.

"Should we tell them?" Castle asked.

"Your girls are telling everyone now," Skye said. When the two looked at her she smiled and said, "They seem to be quite happy."

"We were glad they were this morning when we talked about it," Beckett said as she and Castle had told their family over breakfast in their room about their plans to change the three girls' last names.

"Lex," Louis told his girlfriend, nudging her side.

"Don't," Alexis said, shaking her head firmly.

"Still, you should ask her," Louis replied.

Glancing at him, Alexis shook her head before they'd come around the large volcano that was the centerpiece of the park to what was going to be their ride. Her eyes widened at the sight of a drop in the slide and she turned to her father and stepmother to see their reaction to it.

"Mommy! I want to go!" Eliza said eagerly, going to her and taking her hand.

Breathing out Beckett glanced at her husband and when she saw that he was just looking at her she sighed and said, "I guess it's alright, but you see how this drop is sweetie."

"Yeah," Eliza replied, nodding her head rapidly. "I'll stay on the boat."

"The raft," Julia whispered to her sister.

"Yeah," Eliza said again.

"Okay, let's go to the line," Castle said in amusement. He went to get a raft for his wife and their daughters and they went with their friends and family to the line. "What order are we going in?"

"I'll go in the front," Beckett said. "Eliza will be behind me and Julia behind her."

"Is it alright that I'm dragging the raft down?" Castle asked.

"Yes," Beckett said, rolling her eyes though she was soon smiling. She squeezed her husband's hand and said, "They want it to go faster."

Looking over at the girls, Castle couldn't help laughing as they were trying to be serious, but he could see the smiles playing at their lips. He had to turn his attention with them to the ride as Brennan, Clara and Erin were going over to the edge and down the slide. Setting down the raft he sat with his wife and their daughters before he was pushing them once the worker indicated they could go, and they were going down their first drop.

Eliza squealed after she had let out a short scream at the drop as they then went up and she held on tightly to the handles on either side of her before they were going inside the volcano. She cried out when they went into another drop though it was a short one and then went up again.

Beckett had been concerned at first that the little girl in front of her was scared but when she laughed while they went up from the second drop to a tunnel, turning to the left, she was relieved. She was laughing herself as it seemed to last for a while, but they were soon going down another drop outside the volcano to the girls cries and her husband's woo-hoo that made their daughters start laughing. She was doing the same since they'd ascended to another tunnel, but that time turned to the left.

"Woo!" Julia cried out as the tunnel ended soon into another drop. She laughed again when her little sister started to squeal heavily, and they were repeating the tunnel and drop, going to the left.

Castle, watching the girls in another tunnel to the right, wondered when they would be getting to the large drop they'd seen. When they went through another tunnel he was startled when they went left and then right, and he had a feeling they'd be reaching that drop. He didn't really have much of a chance to warn Eliza about it as it was after that tunnel. Feeling the hang time they got on that one and the little girl's scream he suddenly realized he and his wife had made a mistake. And as soon as they were slowing down he started to say her name when his wife was speaking before him.

"Eliza-" Beckett began, turning to look at her.

Shaking her head, the little girl quickly told her mother, "I'm kay, that was really tall."

"That surprised me too," Julia said, smiling when her little sister looked at her. "But that was cool."

"Yeah, I wanna go on another," Eliza told their parents eagerly.

"Come on," Castle said as they'd reached the exit. He got Eliza off the raft and handed her to Beckett before they got out of the water and he followed the three out. He smiled at his wife when the girls went over to Erin and they started to talk together happily before he said, "What was the next slide?"

"You have the map," Beckett reminded him.

"Right," Castle said as he had the paper in a waterproof pocket in his trunks. He pulled it out and watched her looking at it before she turned to the girls.

"Are we finished with the park?" Beckett called.

"No, what is it!" Julia asked as she and her sister went over to them.

"Punga Racers," Beckett told them.

Giggling at the name, Eliza said, "I can go on that one?"

"We'll look at it and see if you want to," Castle said, guessing his wife wanted to do that.

"Let's go!" Eliza said eagerly.

"Hold on," Beckett said with a laugh, taking her hand. "First, we need to wait for the last raft," she told the little girl as everyone except Skye and the last three girls though they were soon approaching.

"Did you like it?" Julia asked Mari eagerly as she'd gone with the investigator and the older McDouglas twins.

"Yeah, what's the next one?" the girl asked as her friend helped her step up on the path.

"Punga Racers," Julia said. She wanted to add more but the adults were having them walk so she followed with Mari until they were around the volcano and looking at four slides that twisted and turned. She squeezed her friend's hand, going over to her family so she could hear what her little sister decided about the slides.

"I wanna go on," Eliza said firmly.

"Okay," Beckett said, not really surprised. She took her hand before they went to get a board to use and she told her, "You'll need to go face first."

"I know, your hands go there," Eliza said, pointing out the handles at the top.

Beckett nodded and then said, "You'll be going by yourself."

"Kay," Eliza replied, not really troubled by that. She smiled when her mother sighed, and she hugged her tightly before saying, "I'll be kay Mommy. I won't let go of the handles either."

"Good girl," Castle said, reaching over and ruffling her hair. They were heading up the stairs to the top of the slides before they reached it and he watched as Eliza and Julia were directed to the red and black slides respectively. He took the greenish colored one while Beckett got the yellow one and as they were getting ready to go down he told them, "Have fun."

Beckett smiled when the girls laughed at his exaggerated tone of voice before they were getting ready to go down. When the worker told them to go she pushed herself down and heard the squeal of the girls as they started. She was going through a tunnel immediately, going to the right before she came outside. She could distantly hear Julia laughing and crying out in her joy and was a little worried Eliza wasn't enjoying the slide but there was nothing she could do as she was going back and forth until she came to the splashdown pool.

"Let's go again!" Eliza squealed as she jumped up on the steps to go out of the pool.

Laughing Castle said, "I think she liked it love," to his wife.

"It looks like it," Beckett said as she wrapped her arm around Eliza before they were handing their boards to the worker next to the pool.

"Another one?" the little girl asked hopefully.

"There is, ika Moana of Hono ika Moana," Castle answered. When his family was looking at him he smiled and said, "I looked ahead. Come here Eliza."

As her sister was soon on their father's back, Julia went to her mother and took her hand saying, "This place is really nice."

"It is," Beckett said. "What do you want?" she asked her teasingly.

"Are there big kid slides?" Julia said.

"Of course," Beckett replied. "But we're not letting you go on them all." When her oldest looked surprised she told her, "I figured you would have found out about the drop slides at some point."

Julia smiled and said, "I kinda wanted to try one out."

Shaking her head Beckett said firmly, "Another time, when you're older."

"I thought you might do that," Julia said. "Are you gonna try it?"

"Maybe," Beckett said hesitantly, glancing at her husband.

"I won't," Castle said quickly. He looked behind at the McColloughs and said, "Are you guys going to do that?"

As his cousin and her family were stopping to wait for them Brennan said when they were close enough, "We will, we don't really have those back at home."

"We don't have a lot of this at home Bren," Clara told her husband wryly.

Laughing with her cousin Beckett looked over at Julia when she let go of her hand, not surprised when she went through the others to go to Mari. When she felt her husband taking her hand she looked at him in surprise before she saw Eliza was going back to the McDouglases. She smiled at him before he was squeezing her hand and posing a question she wasn't surprised he wanted to know.

"Aren't we passing slides she could go on?" Castle said.

Nodding her head Beckett said, "We need to leave some. The map says the raft on this one holds five people."

"Oh… Alexis?" Castle said.

Beckett smiled and said, "My dad."

"Have you asked him?" Castle asked teasingly.

"Have you asked her?" Beckett returned with a smile. She continued to go so her husband laughed before they turned their attention to the slide they were approaching. She and Castle needed to get Eliza into a life vest, but they were soon ready with their raft and her father was with them all as they approached the top of the slide.

Sitting down Julia watched them leaving behind the McDouglases who were waiting to go next before she turned forward, seeing they were going to a tunnel. She smiled at her little sister as she was squealing in joy before they were entering it and going to the right. When they came outside and into a dip she and Eliza were both crying out in surprise before laughing together as they went through another tunnel to the left.

Watching the girls as they went outside and went on a drop again, Beckett smiled at their cries of joy before they were in a tunnel yet again and that one seemed to last for a while.

Outside and going down another drop Castle was yelling out to tease the girls when they went in a tunnel. He wasn't surprised when they didn't react to him as they were going down a drop inside. They were also being sprayed from the sides as well, so they were all soaked by the time they reached the splash pool after the last bit of tunnel. He laughed when Eliza jumped as they were slowing down, and he got out of the raft to help her out before he went with the others over to the steps.

"Can I take this off now?" the little girl asked, tugging at the front of her vest she'd been given.

"Here," Jim said, unbuckling it. Once it was off he was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and he asked, "Want me to pick you up?" Feeling her nod next to his head he lifted her, handing his daughter the vest. He smiled when Eliza kissed his cheek and said, "Okay?"

"Yeah," the little girl said, squirming slightly against his side before she turned to her big sister as she was asking their mother about their next slide.

"What time is it?" Beckett asked her husband.

Checking his watch Castle said, "Ten forty."

"We can go on once more slide and then we'll head back to the cabin and decide on lunch," Beckett said, looking at the map that her husband gave her.

"You don't know where we'll be eating lunch yet?" Mary asked as they were walking together away from the slide.

"No," Castle said with a laugh. "We haven't had time to look at what there was."

"Maybe we should look at the places close to the cabana," Alexis suggested.

"We can do that," Castle said after sharing a look with his wife. "Do we all know where we're going?"

"I do," Lily commented. "At least I have an idea, but do I really want to pronounce it?"

"Are you going to Hawaii ever Mom?" Jacob asked.

"Are we?" Eve quickly added.

"Yes," Lily said.

"You can just try," Beckett said in mock annoyance. "They're the Taniwha Tubes. And you can go on sweetie," she said to the little girl who was still in her father's arms. "You don't want to walk?"

Shaking her head Eliza turned her attention to Jim and she said, "Can I ask something Grandpapa?"

"Alright," he said, looking at her in surprise.

"Did you want to be one?" Eliza asked him.

Jim was confused at first before he realized what she was talking about and said, "You mean a grandfather?" When she nodded rapidly he smiled and said, "I did. But not until your mother was all grown up."

"She was," Eliza said quickly.

"She was," Jim echoed, kissing her cheek. He heard Julia calling out to them and said, "I think we're here," setting the little girl down so she could get her first look at the slides they'd approached.

"Will you come with me?" Eliza asked her grandfather immediately after she had studied the blue and green slides.

"Of course," Jim said once he'd glanced at his daughter and she had nodded to him.

"I'll go with you Mom," Julia said quickly before she looked at her father.

"I'll come with you Dad," Alexis told him as Castle was glancing around at the others.

"Thanks," he replied. "Though I probably could have gone on my own."

"I think they're in pairs," Alexis said as they could see the inner tubes that had two seats. She rolled her eyes; though she laughed; when her father merely smiled at her and they went to get their inner tube.

When they were at the top Julia said to her mother, "Not a blue one?"

"We'll go on this again I'm sure," Beckett told her daughter with a smile. "Ready?"

"Yep," Julia said as it was their turn next. She sat in the front at her mother's direction and she turned to watch Beckett doing so behind her before the worker was pushing them down the slide. She cried as they were going down and then to the right in the tunnel they'd entered immediately. She laughed when her mother cried out as they turned to left eventually and she guessed she'd been splashed as she was. When they came outside she cried out as she could see the blue slide that was part of the four attached to the structure, water nearly hitting her eyes at the same time. She was able to keep that from happening while they turned to the right and were soon going into a tunnel, arcing to the left.

Because they were going so fast Beckett hoped that Eliza would enjoy the slide, coming outside again to go to the right. She cried out with her daughter as they came to a drop since she was taken by surprise before they were going into another tunnel. Going so fast to the left she started to doubt allowing Eliza to go on the slide before they were coming into the splash pool. She got off the inner tube first, urging Julia to follow her so she could get to the employee sending them back up to the top.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Julia asked her mother when they were at the steps out of the pool.

"I'm worried about your sister," Beckett replied. She was distracted when she felt an arm wrap around her waist and saw that Julia was next to her.

"She'll like it," the girl assured her. "I know that she's kinda little, but she likes getting to be a grown up too. And since she has Grandpapa with her…"

"Since she has him with her what?" Beckett asked as she didn't continue.

"She'll feel safe," Julia said before she saw the next people coming out of the green slide they'd gone on. She saw her little sister in the front and soon after that she was smiling saying, "I think she liked it."

"It looks like it," Beckett said, wanting to go over to her daughter but having to wait as the lifeguard was helping Eliza off the innertube. "Sorry you had to wear a vest again," she said with a smile as she was taking it off for her.

"I know, I'm too little," the little girl said with a giggle before she threw her arms around her mother telling her about the slide though she'd gone on it as well.

Julia watched her mother, wondering why she wasn't asking if she was okay since she'd been so worried. But as Castle and Alexis joined them she realized her mother was keeping her concern from the little girl as she'd be turning that to herself once they went on the slides Eliza couldn't. She wanted to tell her she didn't have to be troubled about that but stopped herself since she knew Beckett wouldn't stop as she let her take her hand while they got out of the pool to wait for the others to join them.

* * *

"I'm glad there's another river here," Eliza was telling her sisters though Josie was nursing at that moment.

"We're not going on it just yet," Beckett told her with a smile as she looked at the girls. She shook her head in amusement when the two started to laugh and she said, "I think we'll let you guys play around in the water here."

"But not too deep?" Julia asked, going over to sit next to her mother. She smiled at the baby and then said, "Mom, you won't be… scared when I go on the bigger kid slides will you?"

"Scared?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Well… worried," Julia said quickly.

Smiling Beckett shook her head and said, "I still will be because these aren't things we go on all the time."

"Were you worried about me Mommy?" Eliza asked as she was standing next to them by then.

"A little," Beckett said. "But you're a lot tougher than I thought," she added, smiling and leaning over towards her so she could nuzzle her nose to the little girl's.

"Just like you Mom," Julia said. She wasn't surprised when her mother cupped her cheek; in thanks she could tell; and she was about to ask about the slides in the volcano when she heard Castle calling to them from outside the cabana, making them turn to him quickly.

"Come and eat you guys," Castle said.

"Go," Beckett said with a smile when the girls looked at her. "She's almost finished anyway."

Letting the girls take their plates of food, Castle went into the cabana and said, "You're set?"

"I am," Beckett said with a smile, not surprised that he was standing in front of her though she'd tucked herself into the side of the structure. She fixed the top of her bikini as Josie had finished and was burping the baby before she said to her husband, "We'll take them over to the little kid section."

"Everyone is," Castle said with a smile. "But we're not having dessert until dinner, right?"

"Yeah, we're going back to the Great Hall again," Beckett reminded him as they were going to be leaving the park when it closed at five.

Nodding his head, Castle said, "Sounds like a great idea." He was startled when he realized his wife was looking at him oddly and he was about to say what when she was preceding him.

" _They're covered now_ ," Beckett told him in Irish.

" _And do you really think that matters_?" Castle asked him.

"Don't smirk," Beckett told him, switching to English as she handed him Josie since the baby was finished. She watched him set her into her carrier before he left her to grab their food as they'd be eating inside the cabana. Making sure the baby was on the table next to her, she sat on her lounge chair before her husband was walking back inside.

"I'm surprised you got this," Castle said, handing her the plate with the pulled pork sandwich on it.

Beckett shrugged and said, "It looked good." She watched him sit on the side of her chair and opened her mouth to suggest he should use the other one with the table that went with it when he pulled the one to her right over between them more. She smiled and was about to tease him that he couldn't stay away from her but didn't have the chance as he was brushing his lips to hers. When she responded to him she wasn't really surprised as he was quick to capture her lips with his own. They kissed briefly and when they parted she said, " _You took the chance_?"

Smiling at her Irish Castle brushed his lips to hers again before he then said, " _I'll have to_."

" _We'll have more time tonight_ ," Beckett commented.

" _Shower_?" Castle asked.

Glancing outside of the cabana momentarily, Beckett smiled and then told him, " _I want us to play together_ ," watching him closely for his reaction.

Picking up a chip from his plate Castle said simply, " _So do I_."

Beckett was startled at his nonchalant tone, but she decided not to comment as they needed to finish their meal. She started to eat and then looked at her husband from the wave pool and she said, "Are you going to be able to forget this for now?"

"I have to," Castle replied simply. He then switched to English and told his wife, "What else can Eliza go on?"

"I don't have the map," Beckett told him with a smile.

Castle reached for the pocket of his trunks quickly and took the map from there before he opened it on the free space on the table. "There isn't much," he said, looking at the height requirements. He paused as he noticed something and said, "There are a lot of drop slides. Julia-"

"Won't be going on those," Beckett said. She paused and then said, "And neither will I."

"No?" Castle said, studying her.

Nodding her head Beckett said, "I thought about it and I can do without being dropped."

Castle squeezed her hand and said, "I agree."

"You don't want to go now?" Beckett asked.

Since he'd taken a bite of his burger Castle shook his head and waited until he'd finished to tell her, "I'm daring but that's a little too much of thrill I realized. Luckily there's other slides Julia can go on."

Beckett nodded and then reached out to gently brush some crumbs off his chin before they returned to their food. When they were finished she cleaned up, having him stay with Josie, before the girls rushed over to her when they spotted her.

"What're we going on now?" Julia asked first as her little sister was jumping up and down next to her.

Putting her hand on Eliza's shoulder Beckett told the two, "We're still going to the little kids' area."

"And then big slides, right?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Actually, there's only two more that you can go on sweetie," Beckett told her. "After that your grandpapa will take you. But Julia," she then said as she turned to her oldest. "There's only one more for you because the rest of the slides are drop slides."

"Oh… wait, did you count the river?" Julia asked after she'd thought of that.

"No, that's for everyone but your little sister," Beckett told them. She looked beyond them and saw that Castle was coming up to them, so she said with a smile, "Ready?"

"I told you I was going," Castle said jokingly.

Beckett took Eliza's hand while Julia hurried to Martha as she was taking the chance to stretch her legs while Jim watched Josie and Sophie. She felt her husband's hand on her back and glanced at him as she'd heard the young men walking by them at that moment muttering something about milfs. She took his hand with her free one and squeezed it gently before entwining their fingers. When they had reached the area, Eliza let go of her mother's hand and walked to Dani as she'd already told the little girl she couldn't run.

"Anything we can do?" Julia asked, going over to her parents.

"I don't think so," Castle said as he'd read the sign at the entrance. "Though you can do those water guns and walk around."

"How long do we need to stay?" Julia said as she realized he was right looking around and seeing that it was mostly little kids going on the slides. She sighed and then decided she and the other taller kids could have fun spraying each other with water since they could do that at least. She left her parents, going to Mari to start their water fight while the little kids would head on the slides, eager to get to do that until they could finally head back to the bigger slides.

* * *

"I'm so happy we can go together," Eliza was telling her mother.

Smiling Beckett ran her hand over the back of her head and said, "So am I," as she looked at her father and Alexis who would be joining them on the raft since it would seat six. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Eliza said with a sigh, tugging on her life vest that she had to wear. They were next in the line and she got on the raft first at her mother's direction while the others were getting on quickly after her. She held onto the handles on either side of her and squirmed before she said, "Maku Puihi."

"And then we go on Puihi of Maku," Julia said before she looked at the entrance to the tunnel that they were approaching. She laughed with the others when Eliza cried out the second they were inside before going immediately to the left. She let out a short scream of surprise as they swooped around an arc in the slide, going down at the same time, and then entered the tunnel again.

Going through another swoop outside shortly after, Beckett laughed as the girls were squealing together that time since they'd expected it. When they were doing that a third time she yelled out with her husband before their daughters were starting to laugh. Inside another tunnel they went down and to the left before they were reaching the splash pool a short time later. She was worried that Julia and Eliza would be disappointed in how short the slide was but they were talking about it excitedly, so she shared a look with her husband of relief before they were getting out with the others. "Are you guys ready for the next slide?" she asked them once they were outside of the pool.

"I am," Julia said quickly. "It's the green slide, right?"

"Yes," Castle said with a smile. "That one's a little more intense though. There are drops."

"I want to go still!" Eliza said, lightly stomping her foot.

"Eliza," Beckett said firmly.

"Sorry Mommy, but I do," the little girl said abashedly. She then smiled and said, "I can be a big girl and you said I can go on it."

"You can," Beckett said. "But if there are drops you need to hold on very tightly to the handles."

"Yep," Eliza said firmly, going to Alexis and taking her hand.

Walking up the steps Jim said, "You would think they were torturing people."

"It's their plan," Alexis said. "We talked about this in one of my classes. They put in stairs and as you go up higher and higher you're going to have more time to be worried about what's at the top of them. It makes it more thrilling."  
"Is that true?" Julia asked their father.

"Most likely," Castle replied with a smile. "I'm just glad we didn't go on all the drop slides. Those stairs are going to be a lot worse."

"Mommy is this my last slide?" Eliza asked.

"It is but it's your last new one," Beckett corrected her. She smiled and then said, "Try not to wear out your grandpapa."

"I won't," Eliza said firmly as they were at the end of their line and nearly to the rafts and the start of the slide. When they were ushered onto the next one she was sitting down first before the others joined her and she was about to ask her mother if she was scared when her father was speaking before she could.

"I hope you'll be alright," Castle said to the little girl as they were starting down the slide, going down a drop already into the green tunnel.

Eliza couldn't reply to that as she was crying out as they went down another drop though it was small. As they went through the tunnel to the right she gasped as she saw the drop they were approaching and when they went down it she was screaming as it was bigger than they'd been on before. She closed her eyes as she was being splashed and then realized they were dropping down, seeing they'd gone high up the side of the outside part of the slide. "Mommy," she said in fear.

"Hold on sweetie," Beckett said, dismayed at the tone of her voice. The rest of the slide was the same process; going through tunnels, down drops and swinging up against the side of the slide outside; and she wasn't surprised when they got to the splashdown pool that Eliza was crying in fear. She quickly got off the raft and took the little girl; since she'd been sitting next to her; into her arms and rubbed her back saying, "I'm sorry Eliza."

"It's not your fault Mom," Julia said quickly. "You didn't make her go on the ride."

Nodding her head Eliza said in between her sobs, "You… were… I… was… gonna… be a… big… girl."

"That was a tough slide," Castle said, going over to his wife and placing his hand on her back as they were out of the pool. "It even scared me. And now you know why we won't go on those drop slides. It's just a drop."

Sniffing Eliza managed to stop her tears and she said, "I wanna go on the river."

"We can go," Jim said as his daughter and son in law looked at him. "But first I think we should try to find some lemonade and popcorn."

"Go ahead," Beckett said, kissing her temple before she handed her to Castle.

"And have fun but you should wait until after the river to have your snack," he told the little girl.

"Kay," Eliza said, looking at her grandfather who was nodding and smiling. "I'll go babysit Josa while we have the snack."

"Good idea," Alexis said, kissing her cheek.

After Eliza and Jim had left, Julia turned around to her parents and said, "We're going on my last slide, right?"

"We are," Beckett said, placing her hand on her husband's chest to keep him from commenting about that slide being a bit intense and their daughter having a reaction like Eliza had just had. "We should go so we can go on the slides again," she said as she took Julia's hand and they walked over to the other side of the park together. When her daughter squeezed her hand tightly she glanced at her, smiling as she wasn't surprised she was asking about the last slide and an earlier one.

"Weren't the drops like the first slide we went on?" Julia asked.

"I thought about that too," Alexis said before their parents could reply. "And I think it was a little bit worse than that first one."

"That and we kept going on them," Castle added.

Julia thought that over and nodded before she said, "Too bad that scared her so much, it was fun."

"She needs to grow up a little more," Beckett said as she could see the slide in the distance.

"Are you gonna let her go on the other slide again?" Julia asked as they went to their line.

"Most likely," Beckett replied.

"Are we staying the whole day?" Julia asked while they were going up the stairs.

"No," Castle said. "We talked with the other adults and since with these slides we've been on everything now we're going to stay until about two or three."

"And the rest of the day?" Julia asked.

"We're splitting up, if anyone wants to go to the parks they can," Beckett said. "We'd like to stick around the hotel if you and your sisters don't mind."

"Louis and I are going back to the parks," Alexis said swiftly. She smiled as her dad and stepmother looked at her and said, "For the more extreme rides. Hopefully you don't mind Jules but we're not going to wear our robes."

"That's okay," Julia said swiftly. "It's a date."

Alexis opened her mouth but then paused before she smiled and said, "Basically."

"Cool," Julia replied. She then looked at their parents and said, "We don't mind staying at the hotel, but we'd like to swim again."

"We thought you would," Beckett said, smiling as her husband was laughing. "But you want to do the games, right?"

"Oh yeah! We want to, especially with our Quidditch robes," Julia said eagerly.

"Then we can," Castle said, not surprised when the girl jumped eagerly as they were reaching the top of the steps. Once they were on the raft he squeezed his wife's hand before they started to go, aware they would be trading the tropical park for Hogwarts Castle shortly as they knew their daughters so well.

* * *

Jumping into the pool, Eliza was soon resurfacing before she smiled at her father and said, "This is fun Daddy."

"It is," Castle said. "But I think it's more you like being inside."

"Yeah," Eliza replied, kissing his cheek. It was past four in the afternoon and she had set off their time at the pool at their hotel by jumping in from the steps an hour before. "Are you sad we didn't stay?"

"No, we managed to go on our favorite slides three times," Castle told her, taking her over to the steps. "Stay there alright?"

"Do we need to leave?" Eliza asked.

"Not yet but if you want to play the Quidditch game we need to go," Castle told her. "I'm just going to swim around one more time okay?" When the little girl nodded he then went under the water and swam to where his wife was doing so. "Hey love," he told her with a smile once he'd resurfaced.

"Hey, was she okay with getting out?" Beckett asked as she stopped and then began to tread the water. She was startled when he didn't say anything and she bit at her lower lip briefly as she saw he was looking at her lips. She leaned towards him when he was doing the same but before they could get close enough his mother was calling out and making them look to the steps into the pool.

"But Gram-" Eliza started to say.

"Your parents will want you to get out," Martha told her, stepping up to her with the little girl's towel.

Sighing, Eliza swam the short distance back to the steps and she got out of the pool before her mother started to dry her off. "Are my mommy and daddy gonna get out?" she asked.

"They will," Martha assured her after she'd looked over at the pair that were at the other end of the pool. "Come on," she said as she led the little girl over to the chairs they were all using together.

"I guess that means we should head out," Castle commented after he'd looked outside of the pool at their family who all were there except for Alexis who'd gone to the two theme parks by then with Louis.

"We will," Beckett said simply as she ducked under the water and started to swim to the steps, knowing her husband was following her.

"What'll we do first?" Julia asked her mother once she and her father were out of the pool.

"Take showers or baths," Castle commented after he'd dried off his hair. He then smiled at her and said, "Hopefully you and your sister will take one together to save time."

"Sure," Julia said, seeing her little sister was nodding in agreement.

"Alright, then we can head back upstairs," Castle told them. "To Ravenclaw Tower." He wasn't surprised when the girls laughed before they went inside the hotel to get to their rooms. They split up on their floors, his mother and Beckett's father assuring him and Beckett they'd take care of the kids before they were going down the hall to their room.

"Rick," Beckett said to her husband once they were inside.

"Yeah?" Castle said, taking off his t-shirt he'd worn for cover.

"We're taking the shower together but-" Beckett began.

"You realize that we're alright to do something," Castle pointed out to her. "It'll take them some time to finish getting ready." He saw she was about to open her mouth to speak when he added quickly, "They wouldn't say anything."

"My father wouldn't…" Beckett began, looking at him pointedly.

"Mother wouldn't either," Castle said. "I think she'd be glad."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "I don't think she'd want to think about that."

"No but just knowing we're still in love with each other…" Castle began before he laughed at her pushing him playfully. "We're wasting time love, come on," he told her, pulling her over to the bathroom where he turned to her.

Though there was a part of her that wanted to say they didn't have the time, Beckett watched as her husband slid his arms over her sides and said, "If they come down to our room…"

"They won't," Castle replied before he placed his hands on the small of her back to pull her close against him. They kissed deeply but only briefly, and he said, "You're wearing too much," before he was startled when she literally spun around to look away from him. He reached for the zipper on the back of her sundress but paused when she spoke swiftly before he could pull down on it.

"We'd have to be quick," Beckett said, turning her head to look at him.

"Are you sure you want to do anything?" Castle asked, not moving as he wanted to make sure.

"Something," Beckett said firmly.

Castle leaned down slightly and kissed her shoulder before he unzipped her dress and let her take it off before he was removing his trunks. "Love," he said then.

"Can we decide together?" Beckett asked her husband.

With a smile Castle nuzzled his lips to hers and said, "Sure." He watched her undress fully before he reached into the shower to turn it on before he let her go ahead of him. Following her he pressed her immediately against the wall and murmured to her, " _Do you want me inside you_?" in Irish.

" _Once you're getting off_ ," Beckett said, speaking in the same language. She kissed him hard and they were clutching at each other, trying to get far closer than they already were. When they parted she smiled when her husband went down to her neck, kissing around it until he moved up to her lips. That time their kiss was far shorter, and she murmured, "Should you just fuck me?"

"If you'd like," Castle replied. He was slightly startled when she pulled away from him and he watched as she turned around and then leaned over against the wall before he was frowning and gently making her turn back to him.

"Not like that?" Beckett asked in surprise as she wrapped her arms around him.

"No," Castle replied, pressing her back carefully but firmly against the wall. He kissed her and reached down to her hips, running his hands over them reverently before his right hand slid over her abdomen. "At the same time?" he asked her.

Beckett, anticipating his touch greatly, could only nod in response and she reached out to his erection, grasping him as his hand slid down. She cried out shortly when he reached her clit and found it easily shortly after. "Sorry," she said with a breathy laugh when he glanced at her. "I was…"

"Yeah, it's been too long," Castle said, grunting when his wife squeezed his length.

"Do you think you can pick me up?" Beckett said, using both her hands on him and suddenly becoming impatient. She gasped shortly after when he suddenly did so and she kissed him as he leaned her against the wall while she wrapped her legs about his waist. "Fuck me," she whispered, her lips against his once they'd parted.

Castle decided he didn't need to reply, instead he entered her the second he could before he was thrusting as he knew she was ready for him. He went as hard and fast as he could, kissing her while she dug her nails and raked them over his back and shoulders. He knew they were swift, climaxing not more than ten minutes after they'd started, but with his name on his wife's lips he knew she'd enjoyed herself greatly. When they both were breathing a little more evenly he smiled at her and said, "Good?"

"Hmm," Beckett sighed before she kissed him. When they finally parted she told him, "For now."

Shuddering slightly Castle said, "So later you want to…"

"One last time in our dorm," Beckett told him, surprised when he groaned slightly as he let her down though he soon explained his reason for making that noise.

"If we were in college together…" Castle began.

Beckett laughed and brushed her lips against his cheek before she said, "We would have missed our classes."

"Probably," Castle said before he was getting a washcloth lathered with her shower gel. He then began to scrub her body with it, bypassing her breasts until he'd gone down to her toes before he let her clean her mounds. He watched her rinse and then wash her hair before he let her do the same to him until he began washing his hair. When he was finished he smiled at her and pulled her to him, holding her close saying, "You don't think we should take it easy tonight?"

Beckett brushed her lips to his before she pulled away and said, "You're probably right. But we'll be in DC."

"You want to wait for after the club?" Castle asked.

Laughing softly, Beckett kissed her husband briefly before she said, "We should. But I can't wait to go there."

"Neither can I," Castle replied. They kissed one last time and then hurried to get out of the shower to get ready, hoping they hadn't spent too much time indulging their desire though he knew they both couldn't have resisted each other if they tried.


	24. In A Sunshine (Part 2)

"Think Mommy and Daddy got to kiss?"

"Of course they did, they couldn't really do it at the park," Julia said, smiling at her little sister's question. Looking over at her from Josie who they were watching for their grandfather, she saw the frown on the little girl's face and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Why did those boys look at Mommy like they did?" Eliza asked.

"Because they think Mom's… pretty," Julia said, pausing as she wasn't sure how she was supposed to explain the men were looking at their mother's body.

"Is it 'cause of her bathing suit?" Eliza said.

"Yeah," Julia said. "But she didn't like that… or she didn't think about it," she added quickly. "She's only thinking about Dad."

"Oh… but she didn't wear her rings," Eliza said before her eyes went wide and she said, "And neither did Daddy!"

"They did that when we went to the water parks at Disney," Julia assured her. "They'll put them on once they're dry."

"Good," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly. She then smiled at the baby as Josie was vocalizing some a and o sounds before she yawned. She heard footsteps coming up to the living room and she said to their grandfather once he was in the room, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, are you having any problems with Josie?" Jim asked, going quickly to the baby so he could check on her.

"No, I was wondering Grandpapa," Eliza said. She then said, "Are Mommy and Daddy here yet?"

"Not yet," Jim replied before there was a knock on the door. "Looks like I was wrong," he said, looking over at it. He went to answer it, not very surprised when Eliza raced ahead of him or when she held onto the doorknob, waiting for him to check on who it was.

When her grandfather said it was her parents, Eliza threw the door open and looked down at their hands saying, "Whew, you put your rings back on."

"Hello to you too," Castle said in amusement. "And yes, we put our rings back on. Also, can we come in?"

"She was worried about you taking your rings off," Julia explained with a smile as the two were walking into the room.

"We didn't want to lose them," Beckett said, running her hand over the back of Eliza's head as she was going over to where Julia was sitting with the baby. "It's better if we leave them in the room."

"Are you gonna do that again?" the little girl asked while her sister was giving Josie to their mother.

"I don't think so," Castle said, picking her up. "Unless we're going to another water park and you didn't tell me," he directed to his wife.

Rolling her eyes Beckett kissed the baby's cheek and then said, "Hello Martha."

"Hello," Castle's mother said as she'd just walked into the room. "Good, you wore your robes."

"You didn't have to," Beckett said, looking at Julia.

"I asked them to," the girl said quickly with a smile as she knew her mother wasn't angry. "They didn't have to."

"And since we're all wearing our robes," Castle said since he and Beckett had put them on right before leaving their room. "Who's ready to go around again?"

Smiling when Eliza waved her hand, Beckett went to take Josie to her carrier and as soon as she was set on her stroller she pushed her out of the room as the rest of her family led the way. When they got to the elevator she wasn't surprised when her husband went back to her and she smiled at him before he stopped her from having the chance to ask about what they'd do first.

Castle knew he shouldn't have kissed his wife, but he couldn't help himself and he lingered for a bit before he slowly pulled away. Breathing out he said, "I'm not going to apologize for that."

"I don't think I'll let you," Beckett replied with a smile. They needed to get on the elevator so luckily no one said anything about what they'd just done. After they were heading down she asked the girls, "What would you like to do first?"

"Think we can go to the other stuff and leave the Quidditch last?" Julia asked hopefully.

"Alright," Castle said first. "But that leaves four classes and the maze we can do. Maze? Potions class?"

"No," Julia said with a soft laugh. "We want to go over to the Charms class."

"Awesome," Castle said as they were reaching the lobby and walking off the elevator.

"I asked Jules if you kissed," Eliza said to her mother as Castle was pushing the stroller.

"Oh, you did," Beckett stated, smiling down at her. "We did then. I don't think your daddy could stop himself."

"Or you," Eliza said with a soft giggle. She saw the door that they were approaching, and she said eagerly, "I hope I get to do spells."

"I think you'll need to," Castle said as the room was a mixture of quizzes and the PC Harry Potter games. "You and your sister are taking turns."

"Aren't you guys going to do it too?" Julia asked them, first at the door.

"We will," Beckett promised her with a slight smile. "Go ahead."

Slipping into the classroom Julia was surprised to find a girl her age by herself, she said a quiet hello to her when she looked at them and they went to the desks in the room that was set up to look like the Charms classroom from the movies. She watched the girl tracing the _Alohomora_ spell and wasn't surprised when she groaned as she ran out of time. "You should try to go fast on the straight lines," she couldn't help advising her.

"Did you do this already?" the girl asked, turning to her.

Nodding, and seeing that the girl had Slytherin robes on, Julia said, "I was able to do them all but the _Mobiliarus_ charm, the waves took too long."

The girl smiled and said, "This is my last one, I got all the quizzes I had mostly wrong."

"Oh, too bad," Julia said.

With a smile the girl turned to the screen in front of her with the stylus that was shaped like a wand to trace the keyhole shape in the time she had. "Hey, that did work," she said when she managed to get a passing grade on it. "Thanks," she told Julia.

"You're welcome. Oh, you get to use the spells you went through," Julia said. She watched as the little girl went through a series of rooms using another wand before she was going back to the front of the Charms classroom where the 'maze' started. "Great job," she told her.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to do that," the girl replied. "Thanks again. What's your name?"

"Julia," she replied. When the girl looked at her questioningly she said, "Julia Castle."

"I thought I recognized you, I've read your books to my little brother," the girl replied. "I'm Cecilia Everton," she said quickly. "Are you gonna write another book?"

"It's gonna be released after Thanksgiving," Julia said as her parents had made sure they'd be back in the Hamptons for that. "I hope you'll like it."  
"I know I will. Have fun with Charms," Cecilia replied with a smile, saying goodbye to her before she left the classroom.

"Did you have fun?" Beckett asked the girl.

"Yeah," Julia said slowly, still looking at the door.

Beckett was about to ask her what was wrong when she heard the door opening again and she turned to see it was the girl who'd been in there.

"I forgot to tell you," Cecilia said with a smile. "I'm moving to the Hamptons this fall."

"Where are you gonna go to school?" Julia asked, slightly startled when the girl had walked right up to her.

"Hamptons Academy," Cecilia replied.

With a smile Julia said, "That's where I go. Seventh grade?" When the girl nodded she then said, "I'll be in that grade too but I'm going to LA for the fall… I don't know for how long but my friends, Dawn and Ava and the others in the group will have lunch with you. I'll tell them about you so you'll have some friends already there."

"Thanks," Cecilia said with a smile before reaching out impulsively to squeeze Julia's hand before going to the door and leaving.

Feeling her mother's hand on her shoulder, Julia shook herself and turned to her before she heard someone running up to her and turned to see it was her little sister. She was startled when Eliza started to speak since she was doing it so quickly she almost didn't understand her.

"Mari'sgonnabejealous," the little girl said.

"No, she won't," Julia said firmly. "She's still my best friend. And Cecilia will just be another of our friends. Let's start the class?"

"Sure," Castle told her. "Go ahead." When the girls looked at him he smiled and said, "Both of you should do it together."

"Yeah, I can't do it that good," Eliza told her big sister.

"I think you mean well," Beckett said with a smile. She watched them go and then turned to her husband saying, "Should we sit?"

"Close though," Castle said.

"Are you going to do it too Daddy?" Eliza asked, turning from the screen where Julia was answering the quiz questions.

"I don't think so," Castle said with a laugh. "I don't know the answers like your sister does."

Julia smiled as she looked back at them and then finished the last question on the screen before she saw she'd gotten them all correct. She tapped her sister's shoulder, telling her, "You can pick the spells we have to trace," before she looked on as Eliza tapped the spell icons on the screen.

"What did she pick?" Beckett called from where she and Castle were sitting at a desk.

" _Accio_ ," Julia read. " _Rictumsempra_ , _Wingardium Leviosa_ and _Expecto Patronum_."

"Nice," Castle said. "Hopefully you'll be alright tracing those."

"I will be," Julia said with a smile before she turned back to the screen and started to trace the R shape for the second spell her sister had picked out.

"You're not bored, are you?" Beckett asked, turning to her father who was sitting behind them.

"No," Jim replied, watching the girls as Eliza squealed when her sister was able to trace the shape of the spell perfectly. "Luckily they're not too harsh on penalties," he commented as Eliza was taking the wand that was under the console they were in front of. "Remember the shape of the spell," he called to her.

Smiling back at him Eliza quickly turned to the large screen that took up the back wall and she pointed the wand at the shape until it turned green. " _Rictumsempra_!" she said firmly. She beamed when the student in Gryffindor robes started to laugh and she gave the wand to her sister as Professor Flitwick on the screen was saying, " _Finite Encantem_ ," to the student.

" _Rictumsempra_ ," Julia said when the shape reappeared, and she made the motion. She then did the same thing for the other three spells, smiling when their patronuses appeared as they performed _Expecto Patronum_ last; the screen had asked her what they were. Since they were finished with the 'practice' she was about to hand the wand to her sister to let her do the classroom maze when Eliza quickly stopped her.

"You should do it," the little girl said quickly. "You're better, the Dementor is gonna get me."

"Do you guys want to-" Julia started to say, turning to the rest of their family.

"Go ahead kiddo," Martha interrupted. "You're far better than us like your sister said."

Julia smiled and turned back to the screen as she performed the _Alohomora_ spell on a door before it opened, and the screen went through to the next classroom. She grew serious as there was a Hufflepuff student and she quickly knew what spell she would need to use. " _Rictumsempra_ ," she said as the girl was raising her wand. As she was laughing she performed _Alohomora_ again and was going through the next door, finding it was a greenhouse like room.

When Julia performed the _Relashio_ spell on a living plant Jim said to his daughter, "Aren't these supposed to be charms?"

"Where did you get that?" Castle asked as he and his wife turned to see that he had a pamphlet; of the charms for the class he assumed.

"In the desk," Jim said, showing that the top lifted.

"It's probably something on the quiz," Beckett said. "She knows the spell already."

"Does she know all of the spells and charms?" Martha asked.

"I think so," Beckett said with a smile, turning back to her husband to see the charms for the class as Julia was going to the next spell in the same room.

" _Accio_ broom," the girl said when there was a pile of leaves that came to life. Julia wrinkled her nose and said, "I didn't really have to do much."

"No but you got rid of the… leaf monster," Castle commented. "Should be on _Sesame Street_ ," he said in an aside to his wife.

"That kind of monster?" Julia said, looking back at him with her sister.

"Oh… you know what I meant," Castle said in mock annoyance before Julia was turning back to her maze while Eliza was covering her mouth to smother her giggle.

After Julia had gone through everything in the maze the family went through what was supposed to be the Potions classroom, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Herbology greenhouse and last the Care of Magical Creatures class before they went through the maze.

"Finally," Julia said when they reached the room for the Quidditch game.

"We're not going to be able to stay for that long," Beckett told her oldest.

"Are you sure?" Julia asked wryly.

"Smart aleck," Beckett said, knowing that the girl was teasing her. "And yes, it's almost time for dinner," she said as she opened the door. "Though we might be delayed."

Julia was surprised at that and she peered into the room past her mother soon seeing that there were people already inside.

"Hullo there," Skye said as the Castle family walked inside. "Hope you don't mind us playing a game first," she continued as she was getting off one of the brooms. "But the girls will love getting to play with you."

"We couldn't play the full seven on seven, could we?" Castle asked his wife.

"The baby?" Beckett asked.

"Seven on five?" Castle suggested.

"Just hurry!" Julia said in a mock complaining tone as she and her sister had already gotten onto brooms and were holding the goggles on them.

"Dad-" Beckett started to say, looking at him.

"I'm coming with you," Jim said quickly before she could finish. He went to the broom that was to the left of Eliza and when he got on he said, "Who am I?"

"I don't know his name but he's a Chaser," the little girl said. "Hold onto the ball like this," Eliza said, showing him how she was positioning her arm since they were wearing gloves too.

"Are you sure you want to be the Goalie, Mom?" Julia was asking her mother before they were told by the employee there to put on their goggles.

"I don't mind," Beckett said quickly before she was looking at the Quidditch field with the goggles. She then remained still as she could see the players in the middle of the field before she saw one of the girl Chasers from the Gryffindor team flying to her. She reached up as the black girl threw the Quaffle and she just managed to bat it out of the way of the goal hoops before she heard Mary calling out to her.

"Nice save," the woman called.

"Thanks," Beckett replied before she was paying attention to the game again. She wasn't surprised when hers and her family's Ravenclaw team won as Julia was just able to beat Ivy on the McDouglases' Gryffindor team to the Snitch. When the game was over she left the brooms with her husband, Skye and Mary leaving her father to stay while Fleur joined him and the girls on the Ravenclaw team.

"That was nice," Castle commented as they went to his mother who was rocking Josie in her arms. "Is she okay?" he asked her.

"She is, just a little fussy," Martha commented. "Are you staying here at the hotel for dinner?"

"We are," Mary said first.

"The Great Hall of course," Skye said. "The girls all enjoyed it greatly. Do you mind-"

"Why would we?" Beckett asked.

"You know we're joining you right?" Skye asked.

"Yes," Beckett said quickly. "And we don't mind." She then took the investigator's arm and took her away from the others saying, " _Where were your girls before this_?"

" _You don't think we can take a shower while the girls are waiting in the outer room_?" Skye asked, speaking in Russian as Beckett had been. " _But we weren't as lucky as you_." She smirked briefly when her friend rolled her eyes and then asked her, " _You could tell_?"

" _You could apparently tell about me_ ," Beckett replied simply. " _And him_ ," she said, glancing to her husband who was talking to Mary and his mother.

" _And her_ ," Skye said. She then said, " _But that's not why you dragged me over here. What's up_?"

Smiling, as it was odd to hear that last phrase in that language translated exactly, Beckett said, " _I wanted to tell you that we're going to a club the night of the photo shoot_ ," having to translate those two words separately. " _If you wanted to come along_."

Shaking her head Skye said, " _I'm modeling_."

" _Not a surprise_ ," Beckett said wryly and jokingly.

" _And so will you_ ," Skye said. " _But thank you for offering_ ," she said quickly when her friend gave her a look.

" _You're welcome_ ," Beckett replied, seeing that the game between their daughters and her father was over. "Time to eat," she said, switching to English. She went with the investigator over to their daughters, so they could make their way across the hotel to the Great Hall for dinner.

* * *

"I want more of that Mommy," Eliza said, looking at her plate.

"Hold on," Beckett said with a smile. She looked at her husband and said, "Are you having fun?"

"I'm helping," Castle said in protest before he looked over at Julia who was still at their table. When they'd gotten their first plates of food the girl from the Charms classroom had come in with her parents and the trio had sat at the table next to theirs and Julia had been talking with Cecilia so much that the girl had moved to sit next to her.

"You've been to England?" the girl was asking at that moment.

"Yeah, a couple times," Julia replied. "And Ireland but that's a different country. And Wales and Scotland too. The only place we haven't been are the islands there are around the UK," she said with a smile.

"That's so cool," Cecilia replied. "I've only ever been here."

"It's still really cool," Julia said. She then looked over at the other families and said, "I hate to leave tomorrow but we did everything."

"I can't wait to see Disney now," the girl said to that. "It sounds so cool."

"It is," Julia assured her. "You'll love the _Frozen_ ride," she said as she'd been a little dismayed that her new friend liked the movie. But she pushed that aside and added, "You'll love everything there I think."

"Probably," Cecilia said. She heard her mother calling her and said, "I guess I'll see you in the Hamptons."

"Yeah, it was nice to meet you," Julia said, watching her go. She turned her attention to her family as they were gathering around her and she said eagerly, "Time for some dessert, right?"

"It is," Beckett said, "You're going to play with Cecilia back at home?"

"Yeah," Julia said quickly, taking the plate her father had prepared for her quickly. "She's actually gonna live on the same street as Eve and Jake; I told her about them, but I don't know if she'll see Eve really." She breathed out and said, "I can't believe she's gonna be in high school."  
"Her parents can't either," Castle commented. He then smiled and said, "We'll be the same way when you head over there. Luckily that's not for a while."

Nodding her head Julia turned her attention to her portion of Eton Mess and ate eagerly while Castle told her and her sister about their plans the next day.

"No real reaction?" he said once he'd finished, looking between the two.

"We're gonna go on the train and then go to the hotel and then Patrick and Trevor's," Julia said.

"And see Maddy and Keo," Eliza said eagerly, shaking her arms.

"There's your reaction Richard," Martha told her son, wiping the little girl's face gently. "But the next day?"  
"Let's wait until we're in DC," Castle said. He then smiled and said, "You'll enjoy the trip more," not surprised when the girls rolled their eyes after sharing a look.

After they had finished their dessert, Castle and Beckett gathered their daughters and they went back to the pool to spend the rest of the night there before they sent them to bed. They were swimming for a while before they were taking a break on the chairs when Jim was asking his daughter and son in law something that ended up surprising them both.

"What are you remembering?" Beckett's father said to the two.

"You can tell?" Castle asked in surprise.

"You keep looking at each other," Martha said. "Even I noticed." She then smiled and said, "Is it from now or in the past?"

"The past," Castle said slowly, looking at his wife who shrugged at him. "Well you need to help me with this one."

"Why?" Julia asked, she and her sister listening to the conversation closely.

"Just because I want her to tell the story with me," Castle said. "The memory," he corrected himself, staring at her closely.

"Alright, but I'm thinking of a couple things," Beckett said. She glanced towards the pool and said, "Plus they're taking a break."

"We could hear you," Mary said first before she and her family were sitting around the other family. "What're you remembering."

Watching his wife speaking in Irish to Skye, Castle smiled as that was the same memory he was recalling himself. "It doesn't really have much to do with today but…" he began to say before he trailed off.

"It's dealing with winter," Beckett took up.

"What made you think of that?" Martha asked in surprise.

"The fact that we were a bit hot the other day," Skye suggested casually.

"That," Beckett said with a smile.

"It was the end of February 1940," Castle said. "And you guys were down south in San Diego?"

"We were near the beach," Skye said. "I can't focus the location any more than that. And by then we had you three oldest," she added, smiling at them. "But we stayed on the beach as it was warm."

"What about us?" Eliza asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"We were in Tahoe," Castle said. "On Tahoe?"

"It's a city as well," Skye said. "On the California side if you please."

Laughing slightly Beckett said, "I'm sure you're wondering, Julia you were almost eighteen. Eliza, you were almost thirteen, Alexis was almost twelve and by then Josie had turned ten."

"Cool… were we snowboarding?" Eliza asked.

"That wasn't around yet… at least not around us," Castle said before he thought that over. "But we'll start with when we were cross-country skiing," he continued, not surprised when all the kids looked interested to hear about that.

* * *

 _"Are you sure my camera wouldn't work Ma?" Alexandra asked her mother._

 _"I'm sure," Kate replied with a smile as the girl had been asking that for a while. "Keep moving or else we'll all freeze."_

 _"Ma," Josephine called. When she turned towards her she threw a snowball she'd been making secretly at her mother but hit the trunk of a tree. She giggled before she was grabbed from behind, making her cry out in surprise. "Da!" she said as he was walking carefully past her._

 _"Yes? I shouldn't have surprised you, these skis aren't quiet," Rick told her._

 _"No but…" Josephine replied._

 _"Come on," Rick said with a smile, taking her hand so they could walk through the snow to the others._

 _"Are we almost there yet?" Elizabeth asked as they were skiing again._

 _"There's the cabin," Julia said, pointing ahead of them._

 _"Good, can we have cocoa?" Alexandra asked._

 _"Yes," Kate said simply before they were all concentrating on getting to the structure. Once there she helped Josephine while Rick helped Alexandra and Julia helped Elizabeth when her skis were off. "I hope they'll enjoy the rest of the day," she told her husband when their children had gone inside first._

 _"I'm sure they will," Rick told her. "I'll get the firewood love." He stopped her from going inside and they kissed gently before he watched her walking in. Breathing out a little he shook his head and then went over to the cords of wood that were stacked near the door to begin getting the logs they would need for the stove inside._

* * *

"No surprise there," Skye told Castle teasingly when he suddenly paused.

"Anyway," he replied, looking at his wife as he wasn't sure what had happened in the cabin after they'd gone inside.

* * *

 _"We were getting the cocoa ready," Beckett began before she continued from the point where the milk was on the stove._

 _"I hope Da will be alright," Elizabeth said, looking out the window by the door._

 _"He will, bring the powder honey," Kate said as she was getting the heated milk off the red-hot burner. Once she had Julia spoon the cocoa powder into the mugs that were set up she let the girls stir their drinks before she did the same to her husband's and then her own. As she was finishing she became a little concerned when her husband wasn't back inside before she heard the door to the lean to opening. "Do you need help?" she asked him as he was carrying some logs._

 _"No, I have enough stacked in there to not need to head back outside," Rick said. "Whoever put that lean to had a good head on his shoulders."_

 _"A girl could've made it Da," Alexandra told him._

 _"Too true," Rick said absently as he was stacking the logs. When he'd finished he got his jacket and snow pants off before he was taking the mug of cocoa from his wife gratefully. "We might get more snow tonight," he said after taking a sip carefully._

 _"Your knee?" Julia asked after her parents had kissed._

 _Nodding Rick said, "Luckily it's not going to be so bad as two days ago." He smiled at his wife and said, "But we'll have fresh snow for skiing." He was tempted to kiss her again; since the first had been so brief; when their youngest was interrupting him before he could start to move._

 _"What do we do now?" Josephine asked._

 _"Well I need to get dinner started," Kate said, looking over at the kitchen. "You can play or read; no going outside."_

 _"I wasn't," Rick said in a mock complaining tone as his wife had been looking at him as she'd spoken. He smiled when the girls laughed, and he took the brush of her lips she gave him before he let her go with their two oldest to the kitchen. "Who wants to play Rummy?" he said to Alexandra and Josephine._

 _"I want to read," the former replied._

 _"Go ahead," Rick told her, watching her grab her book and go to the chair against the window. "So it's just us," he said to his and Kate's youngest._

 _"I want to play cards," Josephine said eagerly._

 _"Alright," Rick said._

 _"Love?" Kate called to him. When he looked towards her she said, "Play here by the kitchen, you can set the table once we're ready."_

 _Looking at the little girl Rick said, "We better listen to your Ma." He smiled when she nodded, and they went together to the table at the kitchen and he said, "Can't play Rummy now," as he was shuffling. "What would you like to do?"_

 _"Can we play Old Maid?" Josephine asked after thinking for a moment._

 _"Of course," Rick replied before he dealt the cards._

 _Kate looked at her husband and their two youngest children as they were both quiet and loud and it added to the already cozy feeling of the cabin which made her smile in the moment she had to do so._

* * *

"What?" Beckett asked, looking at the others. "You think I'm that unfeeling I wouldn't use the word cozy? It's been like that between us at home in the family room," she added, smiling at her daughters.

"We've had that when you joined us Rick," Skye commented. "Ask Trevor and he'll agree."

"She's right," Beckett said with a smile when her husband looked at her.

"I'll take your guys' word," Castle told them. "I'll leave Trevor alone about that."

"Is he remembering things?" Skye asked Beckett.

"They both are," she replied. She glanced at the kids and then said in Irish, " _About their relationship but he didn't tell me details_." She then switched to English and told everyone, "Plus when we were all kids of course and after."

"Poor Trevor," Eliza said.

"Yes, but he's alright now," Beckett said quickly. "Who'd like to swim again before we need to get the kids up to bed?" She wasn't surprised when the kids all raised their hands and she, Castle, Skye and Mary went together over to the water with them, getting in quickly to spend the rest of their time they had until the kids' bedtime swimming in the large indoor pool they had to themselves at the moment.

* * *

"I'm surprised they didn't ask about the rest of the memory," Castle said as he stepped out to his wife.

"They probably realized we didn't really have much besides what we said," Beckett told him with a smile.

"True," Castle said, thinking that over. "We should try and do that at Brennan's place this winter."

"It's not exactly flat there," Beckett said after thinking about that for a moment.

"The path is," Castle said.

"You're assuming it'd be snowed over," Beckett commented, watching him taking off his robe before he got on the bed next to her.

Pausing in reaching for his glasses to take them off Castle looked at her and asked, "Have you ever gone cross country skiing?"

"Yes," Beckett admitted. "I went once and fell so much Mom and I called it a day and went back to the lodge for cocoa."

"That was my first time too," Castle said, nodding. "But I was on my own."

"Were you okay?" Beckett asked him, surprised he hadn't been with someone.

"Oh sure, my ass was bruised for a few days though," Castle replied, shaking his head.

"And you want to go again?" Beckett asked in surprise.

With a smile Castle said, "I conquered it."

Sighing, as he'd been extremely smug saying that, Beckett said, "Don't, it's unattractive."

"Yes," Castle said simply. When his wife laughed he smiled and hugged her as she leaned over to him, kissing his cheek. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, holding her close against his chest before he started to speak when she was able to overtake him quickly.

"We couldn't make love in that cabin," Beckett said.

"I was just going to say," Castle replied. He kissed the top of her head again and said, "I know, that was frustrating."

"So we kissed," Beckett said.

"Tons," Castle said. "And constantly in front of our daughters."

"Which they were used to," Beckett replied. She moved so she could look up at her husband and said, "We tended to suppress before we were together, didn't we?"

"Yes," Castle said, knowing that was referencing more than just one past life. "But this one we had to do it even more."

Nodding Beckett said, "Luckily the girls will be used to it here too."

Castle nodded his head and he leaned over to his wife and then kissed her gently before she reached up to him and cupped his cheek with her hand. When they slowly parted he smiled and pressed his forehead against hers telling her, "I loved doing just that then and it's the same now."  
"Hmm, I agree with everything you said," Beckett replied before she moved enough so their lips could meet. It was a gentle kiss and after they slowly pulled away she breathed out saying, "I want to be in DC right now."

"Me too," Castle admitted, nodding his head rapidly. He then smiled and told her, "I wish we were back from the club."

"Hmm," Beckett said.

"You don't want to go?" Castle asked, startled by her reaction.

Smiling Beckett said, "No, I still wanted to model for you."

"You can, we can…" Castle said. When his wife looked at him pointedly he said defensively, "I don't want to be presumptuous."

"You already were," Beckett told him, a smile on her face. "Continue though."

"I was going to say you can do that when we take a break," Castle explained.

"And you'll be able to?" Beckett asked.

"To see you in those clothes? I think so," Castle replied. He let his wife kiss him, responding to her immediately, before they parted, and he told her, "But until then should we get some sleep?"

"It's early still," Beckett replied.

"What're you remembering?" Castle asked as he studied her. "You said you were thinking of different things."

"And so were you," Beckett told him.

"But I want to know what you thought of," Castle said.

"It was very shortly after our marriage," Beckett said. "January of 1927 and before I knew I was pregnant."

"Keep going," Castle urged her.

"You know already," Beckett said. But she wasn't surprised when her husband nodded, and she started saying, "We were playing with Julia together and she took a tumble…"

* * *

 _"Julia honey be careful," Rick told the little girl as she was skipping on the sidewalk. When she fell shortly after he rushed to her and picked her up just before her tears began and he looked over at his wife._

 _"It's alright," Kate said, walking over to them rapidly. "We better take her in," she said when she saw that the little girl's knee was skinned._

 _"Ma," Julia sobbed._

 _"Shh," Kate said, taking the little girl from her husband and carrying her over to the house. When they were inside the bathroom off her mother's room she sat with Julia on her lap and she said, "You have to be careful honey, like your da said," kissing the little girl's temple. "And when it's been raining you need to watch for puddles."_

 _"I like puddles," Julia said with a sniff._

 _"I don't blame you," Castle said, trying to distract her as he was cleaning her skin. But she still hissed and jerked away from him before he apologized and quickly finished getting her bandaged before he kissed her temple. Washing his hands, he watched his wife take their daughter out and he dried his hands in a rush before he hurried after them. "We should build up a fire," he told the two. "Maybe play something together."_

 _"Can I play with my rocking horse?" Julia asked._

 _"Of course," Kate said. "But don't take him through the puddles." She smiled when her daughter did and kissed her temple before setting her down. She took her husband's hand and they walked together over to the living room._

 _Making the fire in the stove there, Rick turned to his wife once he was finished and he paused, seeing that she was staring at him. "You just wanted to watch me," he told her._

 _"You're a Sheik," Kate told him with a smile before he sat down next to her. He kissed her tenderly on the lips before they slowly parted and turned their attention to their daughter as she was rocking on her horse._

 _"Come here honey," Rick eventually said._

 _"Be careful," Kate couldn't help saying as she watched the little girl dismounting._

 _"Ma?" Julia said as she climbed up on the couch in between them. "I'm very hungry."_

 _"How would you like to help us with dinner?" Rick asked before his wife could reply._

 _Kate laughed with her husband as their daughter nodded her head rapidly and they went over to the kitchen shortly after with her in between them, both looking forward to spending more time with Julia as they prepared their meal together._

* * *

"We stopped at essentially the same time," Castle said when his wife didn't continue.

"I know… there wasn't much after that," Beckett replied.

"No, Julia was fine and we were… good," Castle said with a nod. He leaned over and kissed her gently before he said, "The Tahoe trips were fun."

"They were," Beckett said. "I think we had a very nice time in that life…"

"We did," Castle said quickly. "Can I ask something about Skye?"

"Sure," Beckett replied.

"Is she going to model for Mary after the photoshoot?" Castle said.

"You guessed what we were talking about?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"It wasn't hard to figure out," Castle replied. "Plus, I figured Mary would ask if Skye didn't offer; I'd do the same."

Beckett laughed softly and said, "Is there a point to this?"

"You guys are very alike," Castle commented.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Not really."

"Why did you guys talk about that?" Castle asked.

Opening her mouth to answer that, Beckett paused as she realized she didn't really have anything she could say. She sighed and then looked at her husband before she told him, "To tease each other," as he was looking at her with a slight smile on his face.

"Like sisters," Castle said at the same time as his wife. He smiled at her and said, "Does it bother you?"

"No," Beckett said slowly. She then said a little more firmly, "It's still the idea of this past life-"

"Lives," Castle told her quickly. "Lives Kate, we can't be this passionate and not have more than just these past eleven years."

Breathing out, Beckett finally said, "Do you think we should try to do something tomorrow?"

Though he was a little irked at her changing the subject Castle knew it was better to do so to keep her from becoming irritated. "We're going to swim at the hotel. Think we should walk around the Mall?"

"I think so," Beckett replied with a smile. "Though I hope the girls don't mind we're going on our own after the photoshoot."

"I doubt they would, they've been to those places before," Castle replied as the other families were heading to the monuments on the National Mall. He and his wife weren't sure exactly where they were going to see themselves, but they would decide the next day once they were in the city. "Should we let them pick?" he asked his wife.

"I already know what they'll want if we do that," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband nodded thoughtfully.

"Would you mind going again?" Castle asked.

"No," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But I wanted to ask you about that night, we never talked about what we were going to do for dinner before the club."

"Do you mind eating at the hotel?" Castle said. "In a restaurant, not our room."

"I don't," Beckett said simply. She smiled when her husband looked at her in confusion and said, "Better we leave the room."

"Oh, you don't trust me," Castle said. When she leaned against him and kissed him he held her to him before he let her pull away slightly, so he could look into her eyes and he said, "I'm tempted to ditch the club."

"I'm not surprised. But we're going," Beckett said firmly. She wasn't surprised when he looked confused and she told him, "I wanted to go," simply.

"We're dancing for a while, aren't we?" Castle asked, suddenly tense.

" _Beidh tú in ann é a láimhseáil_?" Beckett said, asking him if he would be able to handle it. She kept him from responding by climbing onto his lap and then told him, " _Mo chorp i gcoinne mise_ …" which was the phrase my body against yours.

Castle found he couldn't reply to that and instead he gripped his wife as he crushed his lips to hers. They were holding onto each other shortly after and he slipped his hands under her NYPD shirt before they needed to stop to breathe and he nuzzled his nose to hers saying, " _Nach deas thú_ ," telling her that she was so sweet. " _Ní chuirfidh mé deireadh le do ghlaoch_ ," he said, which meant that he wouldn't stop devouring her. " _Adhradh duit_ ," he added, saying the phrase worship you.

"Wait," Beckett breathed as she gently pushed him away from her neck that he'd started to kiss. "We're a little early."

"Even if we weren't talking about the club that would still happen," Castle protested as his desire was reacting to her swiftly. "What about you?"

Biting at her lower lip Beckett said, "We didn't fool around in the shower enough."

"No," Castle said, reaching for the bottom of her shirt. "It has to be quick."

Nodding her head Beckett tried to say seriously, "We have to get some sleep," but she was smiling as his hands grasped her sides gently once her t-shirt was discarded. She took his kiss and she reached for his shirt before she tugged it up enough so it broke them apart. "Lay down?" she asked him.

"No," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she looked taken aback and he brushed his lips to hers before he said, "I just want us naked and touching."

"Alright," Beckett said with a smile as she was already well aware that he wasn't going to focus on the touching portion of that. And that was confirmed for her when he leaned over and kissed at her bare shoulder before he flicked his tongue out. "You… you don't want to taste too?" she asked him breathily as he slid up with the appendage until he was at her neck.

"Just touch, keep up the anticipation," Castle replied before he kissed her deeply on the lips. Pulling her to his chest; since his shirt had been discarded by then; he reached up with his right hand and ran his hand over her hair before they were stopping at the same time. "I forgot we were in a little bit of a hurry," he told her.

"So did I," Beckett replied. She moved so she could slide off the bed and she removed her pajama bottoms before her panties joined them on the floor. "Come on," she told him.

"Speaking-" Castle started to say as he got off the bed himself and pulled off his pajama shorts and boxers together.

"Inside," Beckett said. "Though I did want you to-"

"Inside is better," Castle said, stepping up to her and cupping her ass firmly.

"For now," Beckett said.

"You know next month…" Castle started to say.

Beckett smiled and brushed her lips against his before she slipped away from him and got back on the bed, pulling him by the hand with her. "I wanted to," she said as she glanced back at him to see him looking at her questioningly. When they were both on their knees she was about to ask him if he was sure he didn't want to get his glasses from the nightstand when he was kissing her. She responded quickly before she was following him as he sat back against the pillows and she smiled as she said, "Should we just have a quickie?" since she was straddling him.

"Yes," Castle said, pulling her down onto him. Since he wasn't ready, and she wasn't either his erection ended up in parallel to her sex instead of inside it. He grunted when she thrust, and he then hissed to her when he could, "Vixen."

"You're welcome," Beckett said before she reached down and grasped his length. She wasn't surprised at his shuddering groan in response but didn't stop to respond while she was getting him ready to enter her. As soon as he was set she lowered herself and went as slowly as she could, crying out until their hips were meeting together. When she could she wrapped her arms around his neck and said with a smile, "You might need to take over."

"I will," Castle said, holding his wife by her hips before she was thrusting against him. He swore heavily as the friction was immediate since she wasn't going slow and he held her tighter while he attempted to move. They were kissing shortly after, but it didn't last as her speed was too fast to let them stay together. He couldn't wait, and he nearly threw her onto her back, pounding into her as their lips crashed together before he felt her nails on his back.

Beckett knew she was orgasming very quickly but with the way her husband was thrusting she was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. But she was relieved when he followed her and they were calling each other's names again until she stopped first, completely spent. She felt the last shudder of her husband's body a little bit after that and she pressed her lips to the side of his head as his face pressed against her neck. "Good?" she whispered adoringly.

Castle raised his head and said, "Yeah." He smiled at her and then leaned over, kissing her tenderly before he carefully pulled away and moved away from her. "I think talking about the club instigated this," he told her, nuzzling her neck with his nose.

"Hmm, it did," Beckett replied, not surprised when his hand cupped over her sex.

"Sorry just… wanted to touch," Castle said when he shortly after realized what he was doing.

"It's alright; I expected you to touch something," Beckett said with a smile as he moved his hand.

"I need to," Castle said simply. He leaned over and kissed her shoulder before he stopped himself and said, "Time for bed."

Beckett nodded and got up herself, starting to reach for her pajamas before she glanced over at her husband and saw he was holding his and just standing still. "We can pack these," she told him.

"Thank you," Castle said gratefully as he'd wanted them to sleep naked after holding her once they'd finished making love. He went with her to their suitcases and got their clothes put away before they went back to the bed. He climbed on it first before he then waited for her to lay down before he was drawing the sheet over her. Slipping under it he laid down next to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close before they were kissing and deeply.

Not minding when that went slightly out of control, Beckett reached up to her husband and raked her nails over his scalp before she pulled away and told him, "We can't do that for too long."

"But-" Castle started to say before he cut himself off when his wife's knee brushed against his erection which hadn't diminished. "Yeah," he gasped out. "That's there."

"Just stay still, you don't need to go to sleep right now," Beckett told him soothingly.

"Yeah," Castle said, looking around the room though the lights were off by then. He moved to lay on his back, wrapping his arm around Beckett when she quickly moved to press against his side. Putting his hand under his head he told her, "Is it wrong of me to say I'm thinking of Adare too?"

"Considering what we just did and our state of undress… No," Beckett told him with a smile. When he turned his head to look at her she said, "Don't think you're the only one who's thinking of that."

"It's almost here," Castle said.

Raising her head enough, Beckett shared a deep kiss with her husband, dueling with his tongue for a while until they parted with heavy breaths. With him gently rubbing her back she told him seriously, "I love you Rick. When we get to our room in Adare…"

With a smile Castle said, "Believe me I'm thinking the same thing. And I love you Kate. I want to adore you. For hours."

"Pervert," Beckett told him with a smile. They kissed again, and she told him when they'd parted, "Night Rick."

"Night love," Castle replied, knowing they needed to turn their attention back to their trip. With one last, gentle kiss he let her lay back down against his side and he gently caressed her hair, running his fingers through it. He was able to feel and hear when she fell asleep and knowing that she was doing so relaxed against him he allowed himself to close his eyes. Though they were continuing their vacation the next morning, he couldn't help his dreams as they involved her and were a mix of their past life and their times in Adare. And with that to look forward to his night went far more quickly, allowing him to wake up ready to move on to their next destination with her, their family and friends.


	25. Beneath The Sun Is Washington

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: After my author's note I wasn't sure if people would still read so I was very happy getting the feedback I did for the last chapter and I'll go straight to my thank yous for that! Mb (Great to see you thought the first half of the last chapter was a fantastic update. I wasn't surprised that you mentioned the announcement of the plans to name change and the excitement they have in wanting to share that news. And interesting to see what you thought was going on with Alexis though I'm not surprised you're wondering, or that you're posing Beckett should ask Alexis about legally adopting her. I can't believe my mistake, lol, I can see why you were confused about that. But yeah, with their names starting with the same letter I can end up putting the wrong name though I usually correct it, lol, not this time. But I did correct it now, so it'll read correctly, lol. And watching that slide it has some scary drops, lol, so it had me scared too. Not surprised that you weren't that men would notice Beckett in a bikini, lol. And I'm sure women would notice Castle in his trunks, so you're right about that! Great to read that you liked Castle and Beckett back at the hotel in the shower. I'm not surprised you mentioned them taking full advantage of the shower since it was wanted and needed too. But again, I'm glad you enjoyed it in the water environment you mentioned, lol. Nice to see again you thought it was a fantastic update. And you're welcome for the first half too! I was happy to read you thought the second half was beautifully written too! And yeah, lol, I wanted to start shifting from Orland do DC so I'm glad you thought it was a nice filler chapter for that. I'm really pleased you loved getting more from their past life, I love writing about that myself. And I'm so glad you agree with Castle about it being lives since that's what I think it should be with the passion they have for each other. I really liked you saying the love they share is eternal since it's what I think too, lol. Happy to see you thought it was beautifully written. You're welcome for sharing the second half too! And you're welcome for letting you know about my schedule now. But yeah, I caught up and have been stressing about not catching up fully and needing to wait to post because I'm still writing so this works better for both me and my readers too. But in the future if I feel I have multiple stories between where I'm posting I may go back to posting every four days. And you're welcome for continuing to write, lol, I watch the eppys of the show enough to feel like I need to have a better ending than what we got in broadcast. But you're welcome for continuing to write and giving you stories as you said fully of love, passion, family, intrigue and suspense too. You're welcome for sharing!).

Thanks for much for the review, I loved reading it and I appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Washington_ … I think I'm not 100% sure that was the song title or whose it is, but I did find this as a lyric.

Beneath The Sun Is Washington

"I hope we get there soon," Eliza said, looking out the window.

"Another ten minutes," Castle told her reassuringly. "Sit back down okay?"

"Yeah," Eliza said before she looked over at him next to her. "Where's Mommy?"

"She'll be right back," Castle said reassuringly. "Are you sure you don't need to use the restroom too?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. "Hi Mommy!" she said when she spotted Beckett walking up to them.

"Hey, are we almost there?" she asked with a smile

"I asked Mommy," Eliza said with a giggle. When she was sitting across from them she said, "What do we do first?"

"Get our luggage," Castle replied. "And then go to the hotel."

"Patrick and Trevor won't meet us?" Julia said, smiling when her family turned to her as soon as she'd started to speak. "I think Patrick might at least."

"I told him not to," Beckett commented. When her husband glanced at her with his eyebrow raised she said with a sigh, "Whether he'd listen to me…"

"You still want to see him," Eliza pointed out.

"I do. Rick can you grab Josie?" Beckett said.

"Sure," Castle said, ruffling Julia's hair as he passed her.

"Thanks Dad," the girl said wryly though her voice was tinged with amusement. Julia smoothed down her hair before she said to her mother, "And we need to go to their house."

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling at her.

"Are you sure all us kids can stay? I mean Trevor's parents will be there to help but-" Julia started to say with a frown.

"Don't worry," Beckett interrupted. "The babies will be at the hotel and of course Dani is fine with your sister and Maddy."  
"Yep," Eliza said firmly as she was smiling widely.

"And you'll help out right?" Beckett asked Julia with a smile.

"And Eve and Jake," the girl added. She watched as her father was bringing over Josie in her carrier and she got out of the way so her mother could take the baby out of the carrier and hold her against her shoulder as they watched the scenery as they made the last bit of their trip north to the capital city. She was able to tell when they were getting close and she shared a look of excitement with her little sister before their parents were speaking.

"Make sure you have everything you brought," Beckett said first.

"And make sure you get off the train," Castle commented. When the girls wrinkled their noses at him playfully he said, "I don't want to go through DC without you."

"Neither do we," Julia said before there was an announcement over the speaker of the train that they were about to arrive in the city. She and her sister got up quickly and without any problems before they were getting off at Union Station. "Will Skye and Mary feel like they're at home?" she couldn't help asking once they were fully in the building and away from the train and tracks.

"Not even close," the investigator herself said. "You'll see in the fall why. Though this Great Hall is fab."

"Why are we going to Union Station in the fall?" Beckett asked as she had some inkling that it wasn't for tourism purposes from the woman's tone.

"Kate!" a voice called before Skye needed to reply.

"Patrick," Beckett said with a sigh though she was smiling widely at the sight of her friend hurrying through the people to them. She felt her husband taking her purse and she smiled at him before she was walking swiftly to Darnley and he was quick to embrace her and spin her around once to her laughter.

"Great you're finally used to that," the detective said with a smile once he'd set his friend on the ground and they were looking at each other. "No complaints."

"Good thing I wasn't holding the baby," Beckett replied.

"So close," Darnley said before they were laughing together, and he hugged her as tightly as he could while she was doing the same with him. "Good trip?" he asked when they'd finally let go of each other.

"It was, we're just glad to be here since we were traveling for a day," Beckett said, they'd left on the twenty-eighth and they'd arrived later in the morning on the thirtieth. "Are you on your own?"

"Yeah, Trev is at home with the kids and his parents," Darnley said. "And I'm here to tell you you're all coming over for a _braai_ for dinner."

"Really? All of us?" Brennan asked.

"They're eager to meet every one of you they haven't yet," Darnley assured them. "So come over early because there'll be games and food."

"Thank you," Lily said. "But is it a full _braai_?"

"No," Darnley said with a smile. "American and South African."

"We can't wait," David said. "But what about our kids?"

"Don't you need to check into your hotel rooms?" Darnley asked. When the parents nodded he told them, "Then let me take their suitcases and I'll get them in the house but when you guys head over you need to split up the rooms."

"I'm still staying in Keo's room right?" Jacob asked.

"Sure, he's eager to see you," Darnley replied.

"We should get our luggage," Brad said first. "And get everything ready."

"What about the pool?" Marie asked.

"We'll have chances to swim another time," Mary told her as they were heading over to where they could pick up their suitcases, breaking off into groups as they were talking.

"She's still adorable," Darnley said, holding Josie's carrier so the others could get their things. "And her eyes…"

"Lizzy had the same eyes," Julia said quickly.

"So did their mother," Jim commented.

"Alright, we can get our things now," Beckett said quickly as Darnley smiled at her. Once they had their luggage the group headed over to the rental car counter where they got their papers for their cars.

"I'm over there across the street," Darnley said once they were done and walking outside.

"Are you sure you don't want someone going with you to the house?" Clara asked.

"I'm fine," Darnley replied. "Trev will help me out and I'm only taking them to the entry of the house." He opened his car when they'd reached it and after the suitcases were loaded with the doors closed he turned to the others to say goodbye to them.

"We'll call you before we come over," Beckett said, hugging her friend again. "And that'll be after we have a quick bite to eat."

Nodding Darnley told her, "Thank you, we'll be looking forward to you getting over there." He turned to the others and said, "Enjoy your hotel, see you soon," before he was getting into the driver's seat to drive back home.

Going to where their cars were Castle called to the others once they were ready to leave, "You have the address right?"

"Yeah, we'll see you there," Skye said.

When he was sure everyone driving was ready Castle got into the driver's seat of his car and said to the girls behind them, "Are you ready?"  
"Yep… you're sure we can't go swimming today?" Julia asked as her father was pulling out onto the street.

"You wouldn't want to head to Patrick's? You can play with Mari," Beckett said, looking into the back seat at her.

Julia smiled and said, "It's hard to decide."

"She's right," Castle said with a nod. "But we'll swim, you know we have to."

Eliza giggled and said, "I can't wait to have a sleepover with Maddy!"

"And I'm sure she can't wait either," Beckett said.

"Where are we going to go when we get to the hotel?" Julia asked.

"In our room," Beckett replied simply. "And all the other kids are going with their parents too."

"Who's going with 'lexis?" Eliza asked.

"They'll be on their own, but they'll meet us in our suite," Castle replied, pulling into the parking for the hotel.

"I'm glad that was quick," Julia told her little sister from over Josie in her carrier that was between them.

"Me too," Eliza replied, nodding rapidly. She watched as her father stepped out to speak to the valet and she and Julia started to get out themselves at the same time as their mother.

"Can you hold the carrier?" Beckett asked her oldest.

"Yeah," Julia said, taking it from her mother. She let Eliza wave to Josie since the baby was awake and staring, smiling at their little sister's wide eyes. She watched her parents talking to the bellman who had come out to them with a luggage cart before their suitcases were on it and they were going inside the lobby. "I can carry it Dad," she had to tell her father as he was reaching for the carrier.

"Stay with your mom," Castle told her before he was heading over to the reception desk.

"Oh Mommy, are you happy to be here again?" Eliza asked eagerly once they were at a group of armchairs with the others who weren't checking in.

"Very," Beckett replied, reaching over to her and wrapping her arms around her. "Sweetie put the carrier down on the table," she directed Julia, seeing she was still holding it.

"Here?" the girl asked, standing at the coffee table.

"Yes," Beckett said before she smiled at the two babies in their carriers together. "What do you think so far?"

"I'm eager to try _Muze_ ," Lily said as she was sitting with them as her kids were looking in on their little sister.

"It's good," Beckett assured her. "We're going there tomorrow night."

"You two?" Lily asked.

"No, all of us," Beckett replied. "And not just us parents; Alexis and Louis."

"Are they aware of that?" Rebecca asked, going over to them.

"Of course, Rick wanted to make sure they were alright sitting at the adult table," Beckett said with a smile as her stepdaughter walked to their group.

"And you didn't mind us joining you," Alexis said. "I was just going to let you know, I think everyone's ready."

"They are," Rebecca said, glancing over to where the desk was and seeing the men and Skye were talking together. "I'm assuming he's telling them?"

"Yes," Beckett replied, standing up with Lily. "If we're on different floors," she said to the women; Skye and Clara joining them. "We'll have to do a group text again."

"I have no problems with that," the investigator said.

"Neither do I," Clara said. "But this hotel is… quite amazing. The views?"  
"It depends but hopefully you get a room with a view of the water," Beckett said, since her cousin was surprising his wife with that exact view.

"And he told you not to tell me I'm guessing," Clara said. She turned to her husband and then said with a smile, "Thank you Bren."

"I told you she'd be able to figure it out," Beckett said.

"We're all on different floors except the five of us," Castle told his wife, gesturing to their parents and Alexis.

"I expected that," Beckett said. "We'll text when we're ready," she told all the others. After saying they'd see each other later she took the carrier from the table and they went together to the elevators before they were heading up to their floor with their family and Louis.

"It'll be a great room," Castle told his father in law when they got to his first. "You have a view of the city but-"

"It's an impressive city," Jim interrupted with a smile before the bellman was letting him in. Since there was only the bathroom and the bedroom he soon saw his view and said to his son in law with a slight frown, "It's the water."

"Oh… well that worked out," Castle said. "Is the city view on the other side?"

"No sir," the bellman replied. "Those rooms are on the other side. Did you reserve one?"

"I thought I had but I guess not," Castle said quickly. "Don't worry, as long as he's satisfied then I am too."

"I am," Jim said, walking back to them with a smile on his face. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome, and Mother is next door to you," Castle said, relieved to hear that. "And Josie," he added.

"That's fine," Jim said. "Should I start unpacking?"

"You should," Martha said quickly. "Join us when you're finished next door." When he nodded she turned to her son and his daughter and told the two, "Go on to your suite and we'll join you there once we're about to meet everyone."

Beckett was going to let her know that they could go to their suite sooner when her husband gently touched her shoulder. They went out into the hallway to Martha's room next door before they were led to their own suite down the end of that hallway.

"It's the same room!" Eliza said eagerly after the bellman had left and the door was closed.

"It is," Castle said. "We enjoyed the room so much I had to get it again."

"Girls you need to watch Josie," Beckett told them.

"Could we take her to the bed?" Julia asked, getting the idea suddenly. "Lay her down there."

"Go ahead," Beckett replied. She followed them over to the bedroom after they'd washed their hands, setting the baby onto the bed after the girls were on top of the mattress. "If you're going to play," she said as Eliza was holding a rattle of the baby's above her. "Don't be too rough."

"We won't," Julia said, her attention on her baby sister as she was smiling.

Looking at his wife as she walked into the wardrobe Castle said with a smile, "I made sure that we had this room."

"I had a feeling," Beckett said, knowing that meant he'd reserved the room months before. She went to him and brushed her lips to his before she murmured, "I don't want to really-"

"I know, not with them on their own with Josie," Castle said reassuringly. He kissed her fully on the lips and told her when he pulled back, "But later I demand some time for that."

"Oh really?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Really," Castle said simply. He wasn't surprised when she merely smirked at him and he kissed her again before they turned their attention to their suitcases and clothing. Since he knew what she had in the top pouch he went over to the door of the wardrobe to make sure the girls remained on the bed while she got that put away first.

Touching her husband's back gently when she'd finished Beckett said to their daughters, "How's Josie doing?"

"Really happy," Julia said in amusement so they could see that the baby was wriggling on the bed.

"Careful she doesn't fall off the bed," Castle told them, not surprised when the two groaned, "Dad," and "Daddy," as their sister was well away from the edges. "We'll hurry," he told them.

"Rick," Beckett said as his phone was making his text message sound on what was going to be her nightstand.

"It's Brad and the others are all agreeing," Castle began, reading the text. "That we should have lunch in our rooms."

"Alright, let your mom and my dad know," Beckett said. "And Alexis and Louis. We'll order pizzas." She'd been about to say more when their oldest daughters were suddenly gasping out, "Pizza?"

"I think they heard you," Castle commented wryly before he hung up the last two shirts he had. He went with his wife out to the room and told them, "Let's get out to the dining room."

"I'll take her," Beckett said, picking up the baby and carrying her out to the couch where Castle was sitting. "How did you move those so fast?" she asked as he'd pushed the armchairs over to the window looking out on the river.

"I'm that good," Castle said, not surprised when his wife rolled her eyes. He took Josie from her and kissed her forehead before cradling her. "You know where we are right now?" he asked the baby. "It's our country's capital and while we've been here before it's your very first trip."

"So it's special," Eliza said seriously to the baby.

"Very," Castle said before he paused.

"Do you want me to-" Beckett started to say as she knew what had happened after watching the baby closely.

"I've got it," Castle said before he got up and left for the bathroom off the entrance to the suite.

"Mommy," Eliza said as she scrambled to get on the couch.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Beckett asked in surprise, watching as Julia went over to the bathroom.

"Nothing Mommy, I wanted to be with you," Eliza said.

Kissing her daughter's temple Beckett said, "I'm sorry if I haven't been able to spend too much time with you."

Shaking her head rapidly Eliza said, "Josa needs you for lots of stuff."

"She does," Julia said, walking out of the bathroom holding her baby sister against her shoulder. "Dad says she's moving her mouth."

"And now she's crying," Beckett said as the baby started to whimper.

"Why is she doing that now?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"She might be a little unsettled by the traveling," Castle said, walking to the couch then. "I should have had us fly love."

"It's alright," Beckett told him reassuringly. "We all wanted to go by train."

"I did," Eliza said, watching Josie nursing.

"I hope she'll calm down," Castle said, watching the baby as well.

"She will," Beckett replied, rocking back and forth. She wasn't surprised when Julia eventually got her sister to go with her back to the armchairs to sit there and look out the windows. She watched her husband leave as well, but only to go into the baby's bag for a towel which he draped over his shoulder. "If they start arriving…" she told her husband.

"They won't," Castle said confidently.

Giving her husband a mock look Beckett told him, "I'm not going to bet with you on that."

"You're no fun," Castle said as he sat next to her and then kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"Lizzy," Julia whispered to her.

"I wanna see," Eliza said firmly, turning away to look at their view again. She then smiled and said, "They kissed in the closet."

"Hey, no spying," Castle said jokingly. He wasn't surprised when the girls hurried off the chairs and came over to them before he told them, "What is it?"

"We want to sleep here one night," Julia said then. When both her parents' eyes widened she laughed and said, "No we don't, the couch is gonna be uncomfortable."

"I get the one in the bedroom!" Eliza said jokingly as Josie had finished and Castle was burping her.

"That one might be a little too uncomfortable," Beckett said, getting up and walking quickly into the bedroom.

"What-" Eliza began.

"She needs to clean up a bit," Castle said, having seen that Josie had leaked a little milk onto his wife's bra. "But what are you the most excited to see?"

"Dad, we don't know where we're going at all," Julia said in a mock complaining tone. She then smiled at him and said, "Everywhere."

"Yeah, I wish we could go to the zoo," Eliza said.

"You wouldn't mind going?" Beckett asked. When she saw her daughters were looking at her she smiled and said, "I wanted some fresh clothes," as she'd changed into a short-sleeved sky-blue top.

"You look nice Mom," Julia said, looking at her father.

" _Gnéasach_ ," Castle told her breathily.

"What does that mean?" Eliza murmured to her sister as their parents were sharing a simple kiss.

Julia just shrugged before her mother was pulling away first and she smiled before the two were speaking.

"Thank you," Beckett said hurriedly to her husband as he'd said the word sexy.

"I meant it," Castle said seriously with a smile. They kissed tenderly before he told her, "But I feel like I should change."

"You're fine," Beckett said, squeezing his arm before they were standing up as the baby was asleep and he set her in her carrier after she'd kissed the top of her head.

Castle kissed the baby himself before he stood up straight and looked with her at their two oldest before he said, "We'll try to do that."

"The zoo?" Julia asked with a gasp.

"If we can," Beckett said. She was about to get her phone to text the others to see where they were when she heard a knock.

"I was just wondering if we should get in touch with them," Castle said as he watched his wife go over to the door. When she opened it, he was about to comment about how they all seemed to get to their suite at the same time when his daughter was pulling her boyfriend inside and talking to him before he could speak.

"That's the river," Alexis said.

"You didn't get a water view room?" Castle asked in concern. "I-" he started to say before he trailed off as Louis was looking away from him. "Why?"

"Just because," Alexis said.

"Hey, I told you we could go to your room," Castle replied.

"We should eat," Beckett said before her stepdaughter could reply to that. "Rick?"

"I need to know what toppings I'm getting," Castle said. "Besides Hawaiian."

"Olive and sausage would be good," Alexis said.

"Three?" Castle asked his wife. "Wait… how did you know we were having pizza?"

"We looked at the menu in the room," Louis answered. "She figured Kate would say pizza."

"Just one with cheese love," Beckett told her husband before he went into the bedroom and closed the door behind him to talk to room service. She turned to the others to check on the girls when her oldest went to Louis and patted his arm to her amusement.

"What do you think?" Julia said.

"Think of what?" Louis asked.

"Of the city?" Julia said quickly.

"Oh, so far it's impressive," Louis replied, nodding to the window. "Must be quite nice in winter; all the monuments in the snow."

"It is," Martha commented. She wasn't surprised when Alexis looked at her and said, "I've been in the winter."

"At least it's not so hot," Julia said.

"But it's sticky again," Eliza pointed out before they were all looking at the baby as Josie was making an o sound.

"She's supposed to be asleep," Beckett said, walking over to the table and checking on her.

"Pizza will be ready soon," Castle said. "I texted the others and they said they're getting the same."

"Come and see the bathroom in here it's really pretty," Eliza said then, taking Louis' hand and pulling him to the bedroom though she soon became frustrated when he didn't move.

"Go ahead, it's not ours," Castle told the young man. When the girls had taken Louis into the bedroom he went to his wife and asked, "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Beckett said, taking her carefully out of the carrier and walking around the living room until the four were coming back from the impromptu tour.

"It's a nice suite," Louis commented.

"Oh… Kate she spit up a little," Alexis said, noticing the baby on Beckett's shoulder.

"It's alright," Beckett said as the young woman and her husband rushed over to her. She let the former take the baby and she said, "I'll be back."

"She already changed," Julia said in consternation as her mother closed the bedroom doors.

"That happens when you have a baby," Martha said, putting a towel on Alexis' shoulder.

"Why are you looking at me?" Castle said in mock protest.

"It's alright, mothers learn to accept these things," Martha told the two girls who were watching her.

When Beckett stepped out she was relieved to see that Josie was asleep again and Alexis' shirt was alright. She sat next to her stepdaughter in the other armchair still at the window and said, "How's your room?"

"Nice," the young woman replied. "Julia said you changed your shirt already."

Nodding Beckett said, "It's fine. I just realized though what are you two going to do at the house?"

"Just because no one will be there that's our age doesn't mean we wouldn't have fun," Alexis said. She then smiled and said, "Joseph and Bethany are really nice, and Louis would love to meet them."

Beckett nodded before Eliza was coming over to her and climbing onto her lap, making her wrap her arms around her before she asked, "What's wrong sweetie?"

With a wide smile the little girl hugged her mother tightly around the neck before she was kissing her cheek and cuddling up against her closely before Beckett was speaking.

"The food will be here soon," she told her daughter.

"How did you know?" Eliza asked, her eyes wide.

"I could tell you were wondering," Beckett said with a smile. She kissed her temple and then said, "I'm a little hungry too, breakfast was a long time ago."

Going over to them, Castle said, "How are we going to sit?"

Beckett thought that over for a moment before she had Eliza get off her lap and she told her husband, "We can get the divan from the bedroom."

"I wanna sit on that!" Eliza said eagerly.

"You'll sit at the table with Julia," Beckett said firmly. "We need to be careful not to drop food on the furniture." She gently squeezed her daughter's shoulder before she told her, "Your daddy and I will sit there."

"And Josie?" Jim asked his daughter.

"She'll be on the couch," Castle said. "In between you guys if you don't mind."

"She'll be fine," Martha said quickly. "There's enough room for us all right?"

Castle nodded before he looked at his daughter and started to ask her about the armchairs when her boyfriend was interrupting him to his surprise.

"We'll turn the chairs around," Louis replied.

After everything was settled the pizzas arrived and the family ate together, talking to Louis about the city and the monuments near their hotel.

"I'm quite keen to see the museums," the young man said as they were finishing the meal. "They're supposed to be good."

"They are," Eliza said. "And the first one we go to will be great."

"Oh no," Castle said, going to Eliza and tickling her sides to her laughter. "I'll say when we head to one."

While she was texting Darnley, Beckett said to the others, "We can go. But can you text the others Rick?"

"I am," Castle said, sending the message. When he got a response immediately he said, "They're ready."

Beckett got Josie in her carrier and once she was settled on her stroller she let Martha push it out as they all followed. She held Julia's hand while they walked to the elevators, hoping her friend and his family were ready for them all to arrive.

* * *

"I really thought this day would never get here," Darnley said.

"Me too," Beckett replied. When she saw he was looking at her with his eyebrow raised she said, "What?" laughingly.

"You were at theme parks, why were you thinking about me?" Darnley asked though he was smiling at her.

"When I wasn't busy," Beckett said. She sipped from her bottle of ginger ale and then said, "But you'll love Disney when you can take them," not surprised when he began to nod swiftly before she'd even finished speaking.

"After looking into the park once you guys went we'll go," Darnley said. "But we should go together."

"We can," Beckett said, squeezing his arm. "Eliza, not so much splashing sweetie," she told her daughter as she was in the kiddie pool with Dani, Maddy and Keo in front of where she was sitting with Darnley.

"But it's fun Mommy," Eliza protested. "And I'm telling them about the slides we got to go on."  
"I can tell," Darnley commented. "They look like they were a lot of fun."

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly. "But there was one I got really scared on."

"It had a lot more drops than we knew there would be," Beckett explained to him. "But luckily that was the only one she had problems with."

"Disney was a lot more fun?" Darnley asked her.

"For her age, yes," Beckett answered before she smiled as all the kids were bouncing on their knees together though Keo was running his fingers through his hair. "Are you going to let that grow?"

"Perhaps," Darnley replied before he smiled at her. "We're thinking of taking him for a trim come fall. I just hope he doesn't mind it since he loves doing that."

"Better you trim it, that way he won't pull it all out," Beckett pointed out.

Nodding his head Darnley said, "I'll be back, see how the meat is doing."

Beckett watched him go before she smiled and said, "What's wrong Maddy?"

"Dada?" the toddler asked.

"He's coming back," Eliza told her. "He's gonna check on dinner."

"Dee!" Keo cried, starting to kick his legs. All of a sudden, the toddler stopped and then started to cry before Nkosi was coming over to them.

"Come on Keo," he told the boy, picking him up in his towel. "You did not have your nap yet." He then said to Beckett, "Could you-"

"I'll get her," Darnley said rapidly as he came over to take their daughter into her towel. "And David's getting Dani."

"Mommy…" Eliza said when all her friends were being taken into the house for naps before dinner.

"Come on," Beckett said as she was holding a towel herself. She took her daughter into her arms and helped her onto her lap, looking around the backyard. Everyone was spread out across it and her husband was walking over to them at that moment, sitting where Darnley had been before.

"Do I have to take a nap Daddy?" Eliza asked before he was finished sitting.

"I don't think so," Castle said. "You don't need to take naps anymore." He then asked her, "Do you mind everyone is smaller than you?"

"I think he means younger," Beckett said quickly as their daughter was shaking her head no.

"Okay, so I heard something about badminton or paddleball," Castle said. "We're getting a vote together."

"We decided already Dad," Julia said, going to them. "And we're gonna play badminton."

"How many against how many?" Beckett asked. When she saw Julia hesitating she smiled and told her, "Don't worry, I figured it would be kids only and I don't mind."

"Just two against two," Julia replied.

"Your sister will be able to play once she's dressed," Beckett said, setting Eliza down and getting up herself so she could take her to the house.

"Mom's really happy," Julia said once she and her father were alone.

"I know," Castle said. "She's been wanting to see Patrick for a while."  
"Then why didn't we come here first?" Julia asked him.

Shaking his head Castle explained, "She didn't want to go down and then down again to Florida. Plus, she wants to see him last."

"It's the last thing we do on vacation?" Julia guessed. When her father nodded she smiled and then said, "I don't blame her." Something came to mind and she asked him, "Are you excited for your anniversary?"

"Yes, but we haven't finished this trip yet," Castle said when he saw Eliza was coming out of the house. "And you need to get ready to play." He stood up when his wife was walking out, and he went over to her asking, "Want another drink?"

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Where's Skye?"

"Over there," Castle said, nodding to the side of the house where the investigator was walking from.

" _Where's your wife_?" Beckett asked her friend teasingly in Russian when she was close to her.

Laughing Skye said, " _She's over there. No, I went to see a part_ Trevor _has for his plane_."

" _Is it safe to do that_?" Beckett said as the man had recently gotten an older Cessna and was fixing it up.

" _If you know what you're doing_ ," Skye replied. " _And our brother does_ ," she added. She wasn't surprised when Beckett frowned and said, "You didn't think I'd suss that out did you?" speaking in English.

"I was going to ask you," Nkosi himself said as he walked over to them. "If you remembered anything being here."

"I'm recalling a lot when we were kids," Skye said.

"So am I," Nkosi replied before they looked together at Beckett.

"I am," she said simply. Beckett couldn't help laughing softly when the two looked startled immediately and she said, "Now we know you're our brother it's easier to tell."

"I must ask," Nkosi said slowly. "How do you see me when you remember?"

"Your skin is the same color as it is now," Skye said swiftly. "We've seen pictures of you as a child and then up to the age of 27 when…"

"It is alright," Nkosi said quickly. "When I was murdered. But it is odd."

"Very," Beckett said with a nod. "But if we're going to talk about it we should wait until we're all together."

"Perhaps at dinner," Nkosi told them. When the two nodded he then said, "Something I would like to request."

"We're taking a group picture," Darnley said, walking over to them. "But also the siblings and their spouses."

"Even though we did it before?" Beckett said though she was smiling at the same time.

"Even though," Darnley replied. "Dinner will be ready in about two hours. I thought I should update you on that."

"Great," Castle said with a smile joining them too. "Mary," he called.

"Oh no," Beckett said in exaggerated annoyance.

"Are we telling stories now?" Darnley asked, clapping his hands together.

"No," Mary said as she walked near them but didn't join them. "We're watching the kids."

"We are," Beckett said, taking her husband's hand and pulling him over to the makeshift badminton court where Julia and Mari were playing against Jacob and Eliza. They watched the kids playing until the younger kids in the house needed to be tended to as they were waking up and after the two hours her friend had talked about they were gathering in the kitchen where the side dishes were.

"Now there may be some dishes you are not familiar with," Bethany told everyone. "If you have any questions just ask us."

"It looks fantastic," Martha said to Nkosi's mother.

"Thank you, it was fun to prepare these," Bethany replied.

"Have you ever had such a big party?" Jim asked.

"Not that she had to cook for," Joseph said. "Our son and son in law would get food that was catered."

"I can't have more of those Mommy?" Eliza was asking Beckett.

"You have enough sweetie," she said as the girl had mashed sweet potatoes. "If you eat all your food you can maybe get a little more," she added as her daughter looked disappointed. Beckett smiled when Eliza nodded and then hurried over to Maddy who was with her fathers since she had the side dishes for her plate. She was about to pick up that plate to move down to a rice dish when she felt a hand touching her shoulder and she turned to see that it was her husband. She started to speak, wanting to tell him that he didn't need to take her plate when he was hurriedly interrupting her though she wasn't surprised he was.

"I can take Eliza's plate," Castle told her. He wasn't surprised to see the hesitation on her face immediately and he smiled saying, "I'm finished."

Beckett finally nodded and then got her side dishes before they were heading outside to the tables that were all together on the asphalt of the patio. "So what exactly do you have on the barbeque?" she asked Darnley as he was standing at his and Nkosi's grill.

"Come and see," he called to her. "But leave your plates."

"Just let us cover them," Beckett told them. Since she and her husband were the only ones out there they were heading over to the barbeque and she said, "I get the feeling just normal cuts of meat."

"We do have ribs," Darnley told her with a smile once she and her husband were standing next to him. "Some chorizo as I love eating that like a hot dog and it's close to _boerewors_ without the game. And last are some skewers with chicken. This is all going to the table, so I just need some help getting it onto the platters." He smiled when the two quickly moved to help him and they got everything from the fire to the table until they sat with everyone else and his husband cleared his throat.

"We should have a toast," Nkosi said.

"Alright, here's to friends getting together," Darnley said once he'd picked up his glass. "Welcome to DC."

"Cheers," Beckett said with a smile before she tapped her glass against her husband's and then her friend's as everyone around the table was doing that except for the babies.

"Rick, Kate," David said. "I think we should go over tomorrow."

Castle was about to joke that it was still early but knew the sun was going to be up for a while so instead he said, "We should, shouldn't we?" to his wife.

Nodding Beckett glanced at Skye who smiled before she just stared at her friend until the investigator was taking an obvious breath before she then spoke.

"We didn't mention this until today because we wanted to make sure it was a sure thing," Skye began.

"Are you going to keep saying sure?" Brennan asked jokingly.

"No," the investigator said in mock annoyance. Skye then smiled and said, "Kate and I received an e-mail a bit ago from Stella McCartney, asking if we'd take some pictures in outfits from her fall collection she's going to release at the end of next month."

"When?" Rebecca asked.

"Tomorrow," Beckett said since some of the others were looking at her.

"Is that what you guys are going to be doing tomorrow?" Brad said.

"You can join us," Castle said.

"That's a lot of people, and babies," Lily said. "I don't think the photographer would be too happy about that."

Beckett shared a look with Skye, realizing she was right, and she was about to suggest the plans they'd thought up for after the photoshoot when her husband was speaking first.

"We were going to let the girls decide if we should go to the zoo or-" Castle began to say.

"I think that decided it for us," Mary said in amusement as most of the kids were gasping.

"Is the zoo big enough for us to walk through?" Brennan asked.

"It is," Nkosi said first. "We will-"

"Do you mind if Patrick is there with us?" Beckett asked.

"How many of us are going to head over there?" Darnley replied with a question though he was smiling.

"Not many," Beckett said first. "Mary will go," she began before she looked at Skye and her wife.

"Do you lot mind heading to the zoo with the others?" the investigator asked their daughters. She smiled when they all nodded and said, "I thought so. But you'll have to-"

"We'll be quiet as a mouse Mum," Marie said quickly.

"Good enough," Skye said as Mary was squeezing her hand. "And your family?" she asked Beckett.

"We'll stay at the hotel," Martha said, speaking for herself and Josie. "And meet you at the zoo when you're leaving."

"Do you mind if I go?" Jim said to his daughter.

Shaking her head Beckett told him, "I wanted you to, you'll be able to watch Julia and Eliza for me." She then realized something and turned to her stepdaughter, wondering if she'd want to go when the young woman was shaking her head.

"I don't have to go," Alexis said.

"You'd rather go to the zoo?" Castle asked Louis as the young man was looking down at his food.  
"I would," Louis said.

"It's alright," Beckett told him. "It can get boring and I know you'll enjoy the zoo." She turned her attention to her stepdaughter and said, "You too."

Alexis nodded, knowing that she wasn't talking about her never visiting the zoo before, she felt her boyfriend touching her hand and she glanced at him. When she saw the expression on his face she frowned slightly and turned back to her food before her stepmother was speaking.

"I hope you don't mind delaying going to the Mall," Beckett said to the other parents.

"It's not a problem," Lily said first.

"She's right, modeling for Stella McCartney?" Rebecca asked. "How come she asked you?"

Smiling, as the woman had asked that honestly, Skye said, "She knows about our past life. And with Kate and I looking a lot alike she'd like to use that for her clothes."

"Are you guys dressing up as twins?" Darnley asked.

"No," Beckett and Skye said firmly at the same time. They looked at each other in surprise as the others began to laugh and after they smiled at each other they laughed themselves.

When they stopped Skye said in Russian to her, " _Should we tell them about our eyes_?"

" _You mean scarves, and go ahead_ ," Beckett responded in the same language.

"Okay," Skye began. "She also plans to take pictures of us in scarves, apparently those will be close up shots and black and white."

"I sense there's more," Clara said.

"She'll have our eyes colored," Skye said. She looked at Beckett and said, "I think that my hair will cover my hazel eye. Keep the green in view."

"I doubt it," Beckett said.

"She might," Darnley said. "Have you have your hair covering your other eye. It makes it more dramatic."

Beckett sighed and then said, "I don't know."

"I think we should change the subject," Castle said. "And I'll ask again is there anywhere specifically that you guys want to go?"

"I think all our plans are set," Brad said. "Well… except for tomorrow. That ended up being the big question until now."

"You guys know where we're going already?" Jacob asked.

"We do," Lily said with a slight tone of warning to her son. "But you shouldn't worry too much about it, you'll enjoy where we visit."  
"Is everyone enjoying the food?" Bethany asked as everyone was quiet.

"Yes, you did a great job with the mashed sweet potatoes," Rebecca said as she was feeding some to Dani then who was holding her spoon as well.

"I think the kids will agree with that," Castle said in amusement as Eliza was taking some on her fork.

"Did you put cinnamon in them?" Lily asked.

"I did," Bethany replied. She smiled and said, "I have forgotten you are a chef."

"I'd love to get your recipe for the… coleslaw?" Lily began.

"It essentially is," Bethany replied with a smile. "And I will tell you once we have finished."

The group was talking in groups while the two women were speaking, and they continued until they were finished with second helpings, in some of the men's cases three. They cleared everything and started to clean in the kitchen, leaving the kids in the back with Alexis and Louis.

"What can we do now?" Julia asked her sister.

"Do you want to play badminton again? You could," Alexis suggested.

"I'd like to play with the horseshoes," Jacob commented.

"Me too," Julia said.

"Go ahead," Alexis said. "Play whatever you'd like but just the games that are here in the yard." She watched the older kids split up before she felt a hand tugging hers and she looked down, seeing it was Eliza with Maddy holding her hand and Dani holding the toddler's. She couldn't help smiling at the line they made together before her sister was speaking.

"What can we play 'lexis?" Eliza asked.

"Well…" Alexis began, looking at the yard. "Isn't that Maddy's bouncy ball?"

"Oh! Thanks!" Eliza said, following her gaze and rushing over to it with the other girls following.

"I suppose we couldn't do much ourselves right now," Louis said to his girlfriend.

Smiling and shaking her head Alexis said, "They're depending on us."

"That and Da and Mam would have my head if anything happened to Erin," Louis joked. He smiled when his girlfriend laughed before he became serious and said quietly, "You need to ask her Lex."

"Not now," Alexis said softly.

"I think she's noticing," Louis told her. When she looked at him out of the corner of her eye he said firmly, "I'm not kidding, she was looking at you for a moment when you were talking about the zoo."

"It's hard to hide something from the police," Alexis said with a slight sigh.

"She's not the police anymore," Louis said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "But she's quite observant… why can't your da notice?"

"He's been like that with women," Alexis commented. "Plus, he's too busy watching Kate." She saw the frown on her boyfriend's face and was quick to reassure him saying, "No it's not a problem, it's because of that photoshoot. He told me about her being a model and I know already how interested he is in seeing her tomorrow doing that." She paused and then said with a smile, "Plus he's got a problem not noticing what's right in front of him. Otherwise I'd have been asking Kate several years ago."

"Should have," Louis said quickly.

Shaking her head Alexis said, "We had to learn to become stepmother and stepdaughter."

"Should still ask," Louis said.

"Stop saying should," Alexis said in mock irritation before the parents were coming back outside. She wasn't surprised when Sophie started to cry, and she looked for Brad or Lily before Eve was rushing over to her. "Wait for your mom to come outside," she said quickly.

"It's okay, I know she already ate and she was changed before lunch so she's fussing," Eve replied easily, taking the baby. She held her against her shoulder and then kissed her temple saying proudly, "Isn't she the cutest baby ever?"

"Na-uh," Julia said playfully as they were walking over to them. "Josa is."

"Oh, don't start arguing about that," Lily said as she and Beckett went over to their babies.

"She's right, you'll be doing that for a while," Beckett said as she placed Josie against her shoulder.

"And aren't they both cute?" David asked. "And that includes all the kids here."

"Dad," Mari said in slight embarrassment.

"What? You were all babies at some point," David replied.

"What were you guys doing while we were inside?" Skye asked to change the subject.

"You couldn't see us?" Kath asked.

"Not quite," Brennan said. "Luckily we could hear you laughing so you were having a jolly good time."

"What can we do now?" Erin asked her father.

"I wish we could go swimming," Iris whispered to her twin sister.

"Now I'm wishing we had a pool," Darnley said to his husband.

"It's alright," Mary said quickly. "You don't have a slip and slide, do you?"

"Pass," Darnley said.

"He had one when he was young," Nkosi told everyone. "And-"

"Nearly crashed into the stones that covered the first foot of the house around the outside," Beckett finished. She smiled at her friend's husband when he looked at her in surprise and said, "I've heard the story." She was about to suggest that they have a tournament of some game when Joseph was calling from the house.

"Come and get some fruit to eat outside," the man was saying.

"Berries," Nkosi said as he and some of the other parents were heading to the door to the house. "But the children will have forks to use."

"We can always ask them to wash their hands," Lily said.

"Do you think they'd stop though?" Brad asked his wife.

"Who knows," Lily commented before her husband was kissing her cheek as she laughed.

"Shouldn't we go and eat the fruit?" Eliza asked, looking over at everyone from the horseshoe she was holding.

"I guess," Julia said, throwing hers. She smiled and said, "Lucky throw," as it ended up on the spike. She went to her little sister and said, "Let's go," taking her hand.

After they were sitting around the table the parents helped their children eat the bowls of berries that had been prepared for the meal. When they were empty Beckett went with Darnley and Brennan into the kitchen to quickly wash the dishes.

"I was thinking," Beckett commented.

"Oh?" Darnley asked since she'd been talking to him.

"I think we've all had the same thought," Brennan said before his cousin could answer that.

Smiling at him briefly Beckett turned to Darnley and said, "We should take a field trip."

"Would we be allowed to go?" Darnley asked in surprise.

"Yes, but I don't know if Josie and Sophie should go," Beckett said. "But I would hate to ask my dad or Martha to go back to their rooms with them."

"My in laws wouldn't go," Darnley commented. When his friend looked at him he smiled and said, "Really, why would they want to?"

"Well… would they want to go to the hotel at least?" Beckett suggested.

"What idea do you have?" Darnley asked her.

"They can come to the pool," Beckett said. "There's seating around the pool, if we order them tea they'll be allowed to stay. If they'd want to."

"Maybe they would," Darnley said slowly. "They'd want to see their grandchildren swimming of course. I'll ask them now." He was about to walk outside when he paused and then said, "We have dessert though."

"Bring it," Beckett said.

"She's right, hopefully it was a pastry," Brennan said as they walked together to the door. "Would go well with the tea."

Beckett couldn't help laughing at the way her friend paused and then nodded before they went together outside to the others. She had a feeling; as she watched Darnley going straight to his in laws; that there wouldn't be any problem with her idea especially with the kids as she herself went to her husband to let him know their slight change in plans.


	26. Beneath The Sun Is Washington (Part 2)

"I am glad that we agreed to join you here," Bethany said with a smile, bouncing her grandson on her knee to his laughter.

"It is a very nice hotel," Joseph said with an agreeing nod. "Your rooms are… very comfortable."

"They are," Jim said. "But there are a number of hotels in this city aren't there?"

"This is one of the best ones," Joseph replied. "But I take it your son in law is a… creature of habit if I am using that correctly."

"You're correct about both," Martha said. "My son will stick with what's the best."

"When it concerns his wife?" Bethany asked, glancing with the others to the pool as Marie was crying out as her littlest sister tugged her foot underwater and they were soon splashing each other when Iris resurfaced.

"And his family," Martha eventually said. "But he does focus on Kate quite a bit."

Jim smiled when Nkosi's parents looked at him and then leaned over to check on Sophie who was to his left, the baby gurgling slightly. He gently wiped away some drool from her chin and then said, "Will you two be joining us while we're here?"

"Trevor has asked us to," Joseph replied. "And we will unless it is too hot for us."

"I don't know we're going to be outside too much," Martha said thoughtfully. "The parents will want to keep their children out of the sun. And of course, the zoo is a mix of outdoors and buildings."

"I hope everyone has hats," Bethany said firmly before the four of them were laughing together as Darnley and Beckett walked over to the table they were sitting around next to the hotel's pool.

"What's the joke?" the former asked as he picked up his son. Darnley smiled when Keo squealed as he was wet from the pool and he asked, "Want to go for a swim?"

"Is that a yes?" Beckett asked, looking up from checking on Josie to see the baby holding onto his father's ear lobe.

"Close enough," Darnley said. "But really, what was the joke?"

"We wondered if you had hats for tomorrow, for the children," Joseph said.

"Don't worry, we do," Beckett said. "We've been using them since we were in Disney World. Are you alright with your tea?"

"Yes, yes, we're doing very well," Bethany said quickly. "But you should have dessert very soon."

"Things are getting cold?" Darnley asked his mother in law. When she nodded he looked at his friend, smiling when she squeezed his arm before she went to the pool to dive into the deep end.

"Mom!" Julia said in surprise when her mother suddenly popped up in front of her. "What is it?"

"We're going to have dessert now," Beckett said simply.

"Why… you want me to start screaming?" Julia asked.

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "Tell Mari and Jake."

"Guys," Julia said, looking at her mother out of the corner of her eye. "We're gonna have dessert now."

Beckett wasn't surprised when the kids immediately went to the steps to get out of the pool and she and her daughter followed them before she said, "At least you got them out of the pool."

Laughing softly Julia said, "You're welcome." When they reached the shallow end and she could stand on the bottom she wrapped her arms around her tightly. "I wish you had your night alone tonight."

"There is tomorrow," Beckett reminded her. She gave her daughter a quick second embrace before she asked while they were walking to the steps, "Why do you ask?"

"Dad was watching you while we were swimming," Julia said with a smile.

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said, seeing her husband was standing at the top of the steps. "We don't need help," she said though she was smiling at him.

"No, but you could use your towels now," Castle replied, handing them theirs since he had his towel draped over his shoulders. "Dessert's going to disappear."

"I'm sure Bethany made enough," Beckett said. "With all the kids there are here."

Nodding Castle then said to Julia, "It smells great."

"Is it from South Africa?" the girl asked. Before her parents could answer Bethany was calling to her as she was the only kid not at the table and she smiled at them before hurrying to join the others.

"This is a pastry, like a donut," Bethany was telling all the kids as she was holding up a bowl that was covered at that moment. "They are called _koeksisters_."

"They are very good," Nkosi said to the other parents as his mother was passing out the braided sweet. "And quite like a donut as she said."

Once she had one of the pastries Beckett bit into it and glanced at her husband before she started to laugh. When he was looking at her questioningly she said, "You want to learn how to make these don't you?"

"I do too," Lily said. "These are delicious. Also any other pastries; I can include them at my restaurant. If that's alright with you Bethany."

"What cuisine does your restaurant have?" Joseph asked in confusion.

"It's global cuisine at this point," Lily replied with a smile. "But I don't have anything from South Africa and since I have someone who's good at donuts…"

"I will give you the recipe for some things before you leave," Bethany replied.

"Thank you," Lily said gratefully.

"May I have another cookie?" Eliza asked, going over to Bethany. "Please?"

"You may," the woman said after looking over at Castle and Beckett and seeing them nodding. "It is a koeksister."

"K-o-eksister," Eliza pronounced slowly. She smiled when the woman hugged her before giving her another pastry and she walked around to her little sister as the baby was moving her hands. She watched Josie moving a little before she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her grandmother before she was taking her on her lap.

"Are you going to enjoy tomorrow kiddo?" Martha asked her.

"You mean when Mommy goes to take pictures?" Eliza said. When her grandmother nodded she took a bite of her pastry and then said, "I wanna see her clothes. Stella makes pretty clothes."

"That's very true," Martha said with a smile. She then said, "And your mother should look very nice in them."

"And Skye," Julia said as she was looking at Josie herself.

"And Skye," Martha said, smiling at the woman as she came over to them. "Are you concerned?"

"That I'm going to be wearing basically the same outfit since I don't wear dresses or skirts?" Skye asked in amusement. When Castle's mother laughed she then said, "I suppose so, but I do trust Stella."

"Mummy," Fleur said, going over to her and taking her hand.

"Yes, _mon petite_?" Skye said immediately.

"Can we still swim?" Fleur asked hopefully.

"Yes," Skye said simply. She wasn't surprised when the little girl squealed, and she then said, "Easy lass, we don't have quite that much time. Nearly time for you all to go to bed too."

"Hey, you can't tell us when to go to bed," Eve said in a mock annoyed tone.

"No but we can," Brad replied. "But you should hold off for a second on jumping in, walk around a little."  
Julia, glancing at her mother and knowing she was agreeing with the chief, nearly rushed to Mari without running. She took her hand and was about to ask if she wanted to go around the pool in laps when her friend was beating her to it.

"Let's go around… what's that word?" Mari asked her.

"Perambulate? I think you mean go around and perambulate," Julia told her. She held out her arm and then laughed as they started to walk together around the pool though they ended up being the only ones. "I thought for sure someone would follow."

"We don't look weird, do we?" Mari asked worriedly.

"No, no," Julia reassured her quickly. "I just thought we wouldn't be alone."

"Me too," Mari said. She glanced back towards where their families were, and she smiled saying, "The parents all went to the chairs."

"Of course, those are huge…" Julia began to say before she trailed off.

Watching her friend, Mari was startled at her stopping before she followed her gaze and saw what it was exactly she was seeing, and her eyes went wide.

"Rosie," Beckett hissed.

"What?" Skye said with a jump as she pulled away from her wife whom she'd been kissing heavily on their chair.

"A little too much PDA," Castle commented as he and Beckett were sitting next to them.

"Oh, not that much," Mary said.

" _Looked like she was trying to swallow you_ ," Castle said in Irish wryly.

" _She was doing her best_ ," Mary said with a smirk, glancing at her wife.

" _I would like to ask_ ," Beckett said. " _Why were you holding hands_?"

" _Either the hand's inside her top or bottom_ ," Skye said. " _Which she won't mind but you guys would_."

" _And my hand would be the same way_ ," Mary added, smiling at her wife.

" _Your room is up a few floors_ ," Castle commented.

" _And our kids are here_ ," Skye said. " _We'll stop though_ ," she said. "Hey," she said, smiling at Julia and Mari. "Are you guys done with your stroll?"

"Sure," the former said. "Mom, can we go swimming now?"

"Yes," Beckett said. "Go ahead but when we all say for you to get out you get out." She wasn't surprised when the girl nodded, and she went with her friend to the water, feeling her husband squeezing her knee.

"Are you going to go in?" Castle asked her.

"I'll stay out for now," Beckett replied. She kissed him when he leaned over to her and she watched him go before she looked at Darnley next to her. "You owe me," she told him once he was settled.

"Oh really?" he replied, raising an eyebrow before he smiled at her. "What do I owe?" Darnley asked.

"Something about you and Trevor," Beckett said pointedly.

"I thought you'd forget during your vacation at the parks," Darnley said.

"I didn't, spill," Beckett said teasingly as he'd intimated that he'd recalled something in an e-mail to her while they'd been at Disney.

"Alright, our first kiss," Darnley told her. When she smiled at him he then said, "We were twenty, so 1919 and it was Christmas Day and we were all at the house." He paused for any comment, but when she just looked at him he laughed and began by saying, "Trev and I were in the parlor alone together since dinner was nearly ready and I took my chance to give him my gift…"

* * *

 _"You'll be lucky if those don't end up in your sister's room," Patrick told Junior._

 _"They love ragtime as much as me," he replied. Junior then said, "But luckily they'll give… them back."_

 _"Merry Christmas," Patrick said with a smile as he handed over the small box in his hand._

 _"You're a swell pal Patrick," Junior said, taking it. He took the lid off it and paused before he said, "For me?"_

 _"No one else here has the same name as you," Patrick replied as he'd gotten his good friend a set of silver cufflinks with JPO'N engraved in them._

 _"Thank you, these will be perfect at the club," Junior said, reaching over and squeezing his hand tightly. "I feel bad I didn't get anything for you so-"_

 _"I love the books, you know I can't stop collecting them," Patrick said, cutting him off._

 _"I'll come back," Junior told him suddenly as he was smiling._

 _Watching him go, Patrick stood and went to the window, looking out on Alamo Square, smiling at the children playing at the park there before he heard footsteps behind him. "You look spiffy," he said as his friend had put on his tuxedo jacket and bow tie._

 _"Help me put these on, I can look my best for dinner," Junior replied, handing over the cufflinks._

 _Patrick, stepping close to his friend, could smell the cologne their friend Rick had given him as a gift on him and he fumbled the first of the pair of links. "Sorry," he mumbled. He was able to shake himself and get it set before he was doing the same swiftly to his other sleeve. "There," he said, looking up at him. He was startled when he saw the way Junior was looking at him and he said, "What-" before his friend was kissing him on the lips. He froze for a moment, before he reached up to him and grabbed his arms while he was kissing him back._

 _When they finally stopped the two men looked at each other and Junior said, "You don't… want to lay me out?"_

 _"Lay… not yet," Patrick said._

 _"You want to hit me?" Junior said in concern._

 _"No!" Patrick said in surprise before he realized what his friend had thought he'd meant. "I thought…"_

 _"Oh…" Junior said slowly. "Well… not yet," he said while speaking thoughtfully. He then smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around Patrick, kissing him hard on the lips though his family could walk on them at any moment._

 _"Finally!" a voice said, startling the two men apart._

 _"Rosie," Kate said, squeezing her sister's arm. "Sorry Junior, Patrick. Ma wanted us to tell you that dinner's nearly ready."_

 _"Finally?" Junior said, seeming to shake himself._

 _"Well… of course," Rose said with a grin. "We know you two have been sweet on each other for a while now. Just be sweethearts."_

 _"We should head back," Rick said as he smiled at the men, having been behind the two young women. "Finish helping your Ma."_

 _"Should we?" Junior asked Patrick once he'd turned back to look at him._

 _"If you aren't sweet on me then no," he replied, smiling._

 _"I am," Junior said swiftly, taking his friend's hands into his own. He looked down at them and then kissed the backs before saying slowly, "But what about you?"_

 _Patrick couldn't stop himself, grabbing his friend hard and smashing his lips against his before they were clutching at each other. When they stopped and parted he asked, "Sweethearts?"_

 _"Sweethearts," Junior replied, nodding rapidly._

 _"Boys," Johanna said with a smile as she stood in the doorway. "Come along, Christmas isn't over yet."_

 _"Of course, Ma," Junior replied, relived to see her smile. He looked at Patrick and taking each other's hands, they walked together to the dining room to make their formal announcement to his family._

* * *

"Lex?" Louis asked as he walked out from the bathroom. "What… what's wrong?" he said, pausing when he saw that she was standing in front of the window, looking at their view of the Mall.

"You're taking Dad to the lounge," Alexis said suddenly. "And you're having some Irish coffee."

"Sure," Louis replied, not sure why he was doing that but deciding he was fine with it. He let her take his hand and he grabbed their room key card before they were leaving and heading down the hall together to her father and stepmother's suite.

Inside Castle was watching his wife standing at the brewer and said, "Interesting we all already knew about them."

"When people look at each other like that…" Beckett said with a smile, looking back over her shoulder at him.

"Any teas you can drink?" Castle asked as his wife had been looking at the pods that came with the machine.

Beckett opened her mouth to respond when there was a knock on their door and since she was closer and standing she went to check on who was there. "It's Alexis and Louis," she told her husband as calmly as she could as the two hadn't looked like they were in distress.

Jumping up from the table, Castle rushed over just as Beckett opened the door enough for him to see the two and he asked, "What's wrong?"

"We're… going to have some Irish coffee," Louis started to say after looking at his girlfriend. "Down in the lounge."

"Go ahead," Beckett said when her husband looked at her.

"Right, well… everything's okay right?" Castle said, directing the question to his daughter.

"Yeah, don't worry," Alexis said quickly. "The drinks should be good."

"We'll be back," Castle said to his wife.

"There's no rush," Beckett said calmly though she was curious as to why her stepdaughter wanted them to be alone. When the two had left and Alexis was inside she closed the door and said to the young woman, "I just found some rooibos tea pods for the brewer, want to join me?"

"Sure," Alexis said.

"Go ahead and sit," Beckett said, motioning to the side of the room. She went to the brewer and looking back at her she said, "Oh no, sit on the couch. It's more comfortable."

"Sure," Alexis said, moving quickly to it. Once she was settled she said, "You're probably wondering why we came over."

"I am curious," Beckett said, turning to her stepdaughter when the first cup was preparing. "But wait until we have the tea at least, I'm a little thirsty."

"Sure," Alexis said quickly, relieved for the pause. She then said, "You don't want me there at the photoshoot tomorrow?"

"Oh no," Beckett said. "I want you to go if you'd like to be there. Honey?" she asked.

"Thanks," Alexis replied before she took the mug and small bottle of honey that she was being given.

Once she had her tea and was sitting next to her stepdaughter, Beckett said, "What's on your mind Alexis?"

Seeing her looking at her so earnestly, the young woman put down her mug on the table in front of them and she said, "It's a question I'd like to ask you."

"Alright," Beckett said simply.

"Would you…" Alexis began before she gathered her courage and continued. "Would you ever want to adopt me as your daughter?" With what she'd been thinking over ever since December of the year before out in the open, she looked at her stepmother to see her reaction. She couldn't help but be startled at the smile on her father's wife's face before Beckett was placing her hand on her shoulder and she began to speak.

"I was almost going to ask you if I could do that before I married your dad," Beckett said.

"You were?" Alexis said, startled to hear that.

Nodding Beckett said, "I was going to become a mother again with the marriage; whether you called me by name or mother. And you were about to become my daughter's sister as well so I would have loved to make us more officially a family. But I wasn't sure you'd want that really so…"

"I'm not sure what I would have said," Alexis confessed. "I knew how you and dad were, but I wasn't sure exactly how things would have gone. Just from what I've seen before."

"Understandable," Beckett said. She then took her hand and held it in between both of hers before saying, "I would love to do that now."

Alexis wrapped her arms around Beckett tightly hugging her and said, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," she replied. When they'd let go of each other Beckett then said, "I hope you don't mind if I ask why you want me to do this now."

"I don't, it would have been weird if you accepted it and that was it," Alexis replied with a smile. She opened her mouth to speak before she paused and stood up, rubbing at her upper arm while her stepmother watched.

"You're remembering things, aren't you?" Beckett asked her. When her stepdaughter nodded she then said, "Your tea's getting cold, sit and drink a little."

Alexis studied her for a moment before she said as she was going over to the couch, "How did you get so good talking like that?"

"I have three other daughters," Beckett said simply. "You learn." She sipped at her tea while her stepdaughter was doing the same and she sat back to wait for her to speak.

"I've seen a few things," Alexis began. "But what I've loved is that… you were my mother. You paid attention to me; even though there were four of us and you had Dad too. And you didn't take me off shopping when I had school," she said, rolling her eyes at the end.

"Yeah, that wouldn't happen," Beckett said firmly. "But we did go shopping together for fabric when you needed a new dress," she added with a smile.

"I haven't seen that yet," Alexis replied slowly. "But what I have seen…" She trailed off before she said, "There was one thing I saw that made me realize I wanted you to be my ma now," speaking slowly at the end.

"What was it? I might be able to recall it myself," Beckett said, deciding to delay her questioning of what she'd said at the end.

"I was… seven," Alexis said. "So it was 1935 and I was sick, so I was at home alone with you since Josa was at school by then."

"I remember now," Beckett said, nodding her head as she was easily recalling that morning after she had sent off her husband with their other three daughters to school.

* * *

 _"Mama," the plaintive voice called making Kate turn around and go to the staircase from the front door where she'd been watching Rick and the rest of the girls heading down the street towards the schools._

 _"Alexandra," Kate said gently. "You're supposed to be in bed honey."_

 _"I'm thirsty Ma," the little girl replied._

 _"Alright, come here," Kate said with a smile, reaching out to her so she would come down to her. When she was close enough she picked up her daughter, putting her on her hip before she walked to the kitchen. Setting her down she wasn't surprised when Alexandra wrapped her arms around her and stuck close as she went to get some water from the faucet. "Come," she told the little girl. "I'll get you wrapped up in blankets and we'll have a roarin' fire on the stove soon."_

 _With a smile Alexandra said, "Talk like Grandma again Ma."_

 _"I can't, I need to get the fire for you," Kate replied easily as she was getting the little girl onto the couch. She got two blankets and then lit the wood Rick had put in the stove before he'd left, and she said, "There, I hope you'll be alright for now."_

 _"What will you do Ma?" Alexandra asked._

 _"I need to do some knitting," Kate said. "Your da keeps wearing out his mittens every year."_

 _Watching her mother sitting next to her Alexandra looked on while she knitted one row just under the thumb. "Ma?" she eventually asked._

 _"Are you alright?" Kate asked, looking down at her quickly._

 _Nodding Alexandra pushed her blankets off her before she crawled onto her mother's lap. When she began to move she thought Kate was going to put her back next to her and she made a sound of protest._

 _"Hold on honey," Kate told her gently. She carefully wrapped one of the blankets around the little girl before she hugged her tightly to her, pressing her lips to her forehead. "I love you Alexandra," she told her gently._

 _"I love you Ma," the little girl said. She smiled a little and said, "I feel better."_

 _"Oh? Would you like to go to school then?" Kate asked jokingly. She laughed when her daughter shook her head and she cuddled her a little closer. "Then you should rest."_  
 _  
"Can I stay, watch you make Da's mitten?" Alexandra asked hopefully._

 _"I think so," Kate replied. She kissed her again and picked up the mitten before she started to knit, teaching her daughter how to do each stitch as they waited for Rick to come back home to them._

* * *

"I'm not saying Mom didn't do that with me," Alexis was saying to Beckett as she was rinsing their mugs in the outer bathroom. "But if she did I have no memory of it. I'd have to ask Dad."

"That's true," Beckett replied as she brought the mugs out to set aside. "There's something else though, isn't there?"

"Would you mind if I called you Ma?" Alexis asked, not having too much hesitation after seeing how her stepmother was reacting to everything.

"No, actually I'm touched you'd like to," Beckett said. She was startled when her stepdaughter's eyes began to fill with tears and she touched her shoulder saying, "What's wrong?"

"No," Alexis replied, her voice choked up. "I didn't think you'd want me to do that."

"I do," Beckett assured her. She was a little taken aback when her stepdaughter hugged her abruptly but was quick to respond though she became even more concerned when a slight sob escaped her lips. "Alexis-" she started to say.

"No, it's something I've been thinking of for a while now but haven't told anyone," the young woman said, wiping away her tears that had escaped her eyes. She then said, "I want to have kids." When she got no reaction from her stepmother she forgot about her emotions and said, "You… could tell?"

"Having gone through that myself," Beckett gently reminded her as she led her to the couch. "I saw what I felt back then in you when you were holding Josie." Once they were sitting she said, "With Louis?"

"Yes, but I'd like us to be married first," Alexis said with a smile. "But I don't know if he wants to get married."

"You should talk about that," Beckett said quickly.

"I know but with the vacation and then our jobs starting I want us to be in a calmer place," Alexis replied, relieved when she was nodding as she knew her stepmother understood what she meant. "But thinking of that and what you said about wanting grandchildren…" She trailed off with a smile as Beckett laughed and she then said,

"I thought about them and you and I didn't want them to call you Kate. I'm tired of calling you Kate."

"They won't need to, and you don't have to anymore," Beckett said gently. She let her stepdaughter take her hand and squeeze it before she said, "Your sisters will be overjoyed."

"Definitely," Alexis said, nodding.

"Now the question is your father of course…" Beckett said before there was a knock on the door. "Good timing for him. Or it's Louis," she said jokingly as she hurried to stand and go with Alexis to see who it was.

* * *

"Are you sure I can't tempt you to tell me what Alexis wants to talk to Kate about?" Castle was asking Louis.

"She'd have me head if I did that," the young man replied.

"Yeah that's true," Castle replied, nodding. He set down the money for their drinks and tip for the bartender before they were getting up off the chairs. "It's nothing bad is it?"

"Nothing negative," Louis replied quickly, shaking his head. "Should we head back up?"

"We've been gone for about twenty minutes," Castle replied, checking his watch. "I guess we should." They walked together to the elevators and on their floor, he said, "Do you know how to make those?"

"Irish coffee?" Louis asked. When he nodded he said, "Of course, since I was eighteen. Da taught me and said I'd impress a woman with knowing how to make a good drink with good Irish whiskey."

"He's smart," Castle commented. As they walked off the elevator car he said, "Alexis made me promise not to bother you when you're at the stables, but I may say hello."

Laughing Louis said, "It's alright, Charlie will know why you're doing that. But if I'm doing something very important I may not be able to respond."

"Then you were hired for the right reasons if you do that," Castle said, stepping up to the door and knocking on it. "I didn't want to bring the key; to let them talk," he explained to the young man before it was opening a moment later.

"Hey, you guys finished?" Beckett asked the two, stepping aside so they could enter.

"We did," Castle said, feeling a little awkward as he looked back and forth between his wife and daughter.

"We should sit," Beckett said, glancing at Alexis with a smile. She went to the couch and sat with her husband while his daughter and Louis sat by them on the armchairs, facing them. As Alexis explained what they'd talked about she watched Castle closely, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

"You'd do that?" he asked his wife when his daughter had stopped talking.

"I will," Beckett said firmly. "Unless you have any objections."

Shaking his head, Castle took his wife's hands and kissed at them lovingly before he said, "I had never thought of it but I'm glad you want to. Both of you," looking at his daughter. "But…" he began, glancing at her boyfriend.

"No, I talked to AC," Alexis said, referencing their family's lawyer in the Hamptons. "He said that legally there won't be any problems since we still wouldn't be related by blood. And even if Louis was Brennan's son by blood we wouldn't be cousins by blood."

"Okay," Castle said with a nod. "You don't mind?"

"Of course not," Louis said.

"Have you mentioned it to Brennan or Clara?" Beckett asked Alexis though she'd nearly said his parents.

"No, you're the only parents I've talked to," the young woman said with a smile. She then said, "But we'll tell them tomorrow."

"I've told Lex already that they won't mind," Louis said, reaching over to her to take her hand. He squeezed it gently before her father was speaking, asking him something that he'd thought of himself already.

"What would you do if they did?" Castle said.

"I wouldn't talk to them much," Louis said, looking at Alexis and keeping his gaze on her. "I don't think I'd consider them my parents anymore; if it came to that."

Beckett shared a glance with her husband before she then said, "That's good to know."

"It is," Alexis said with a smile, squeezing her boyfriend's hand. "When can we start the process?" she asked her father.

Standing, since Beckett had done so at that moment, Castle said, "As soon as we start to change the girls' names." That reminded him of something and he said, "Do you want to change your name too."

"You don't need to," Beckett said swiftly as Alexis was hesitant. "It's a little…"

"Not complicated," the young woman said.

"No, but you're fine with your father's name," Beckett said. "And you do share that with your sisters."

Nodding Alexis went to her and embraced her tightly telling her, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, thank you for wanting to be my daughter," Beckett said. When they parted she said, "You didn't tell your dad."

"Oh, I told Kate I'd like to call her Ma," Alexis said. "Like I did in our past life. But is it alright if I wait until everything's set?"

"That's fine," Beckett said, turning to her husband.

"What? That's her decision," Castle said quickly. "And since you're okay with her doing that then everything's set. You two should get some rest though; you're going around the zoo."

"When will we tell everyone?" Alexis asked.

"You can tell Brennan and Clara when you're at the zoo," Beckett said. "And we'll announce it at lunch."

Since his wife was looking at him questioningly Castle nodded and said, "That's the best we can do. Goodnight you two."

After she had said goodnight to them as well, Beckett watched them leave with her husband until they were turning around the corner to their room. She said as he was closing and locking the door, "I was surprised but… she's been acting a bit oddly since we told them about changing the girls' names."

"And remembering things?" Castle asked.

"I'm not sure but that's obviously what started her wanting to ask me to do that," Beckett replied, smiling at him. She gently squeezed his hand before she said, "Do you remember anything about that day?" since Alexis had told him about the memory the two of them had shared.

"A bit," Castle said with a smile, walking with her over to the bedroom so they could change. He waited to speak until after they'd brushed their teeth and then said while they got into bed, "I do remember getting back home to find you trying to help Alexis knitting."

Beckett smiled and said, "It wasn't that successful yet, but she got the hang of it eventually."

"I'm glad she asked you to do that," Castle said after they were quiet for a while. He leaned over then and kissed her tenderly before he pulled away and said, "I think we better call AC tomorrow."

"Would he be able to start things while we're still down here?" Beckett said.

"Start, yes," Castle said. "I'm just not sure how far along things can go." He smiled at her and said, "I'll call him in the morning. So, how're you feeling?"

"F- oh don't think I'm nervous about tomorrow," Beckett said, unsure what he was asking about until she remembered the photoshoot. "At least it's only going to be a small amount of people there." She then glanced at him and said, "How will you be?"

"Eager to watch things," Castle said.

"Long coat?" Beckett said.

"Huh?" Castle asked before he realized what she was talking about. "It's not porn… oh you know it could be for me."

"That's what I was getting at," Beckett said in amusement as she was watching him. She kissed his cheek and told him, "But keep the girls with you."

"Good idea," Castle replied. "Oh! Nearly forgot something."

Beckett, a little taken aback by her husband's sudden exclamation, watched him go over to the closet before he was coming out with a pamphlet. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked as she saw it was a mani/pedi/massage treatment at the hotel's spa. "Who else has this?"

"Clara, Lily and Rebecca," Castle replied. "I asked Skye and Mary if they wanted to join in, but they said no. I also asked Alexis since she's coming to dinner with us, but she said she'll help out us dads." He saw Beckett opening her mouth and he told her, "Skye and Mary said they had something else to do." When his wife was smiling he was a little startled and was about to say he knew the two women would likely be intimate when she stopped him by covering his mouth with her hand.

"They're going to make their own spa," Beckett told him. When her husband looked confused she smiled again and told him, "I should have realized you had this treatment in mind when she told me that but they're going to give each other spa treatments in their room."

"Interesting idea," Castle said. "Well… they should have fun."

"They should," Beckett said with a brief laugh. "I take it for Skye it's going to be a way to relax after the photoshoot."

"She didn't have to go through with it," Castle commented.

"I think she knew Mary wanted to watch her," Beckett said. "And she's gotten to be friends with Stella."

"And Stella being there will help her out," Castle commented.

Nodding Beckett said, "Which is why I'm going."

Castle wrapped his arm around her before he kissed her temple and told her, "I'll make it worth your while for going."

"Oh, you will?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Yes, unfortunately it's going to have to wait until we get back from the club," Castle told her.

"Okay, I look forward to seeing what you have in mind," Beckett replied, studying him.

"It's not going to be all night," Castle told her.

"I didn't think so, but your idea should be first," Beckett told him firmly.

"Do you know what I'm going to do?" Castle asked her.

"No," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "Just an idea it's going to focus on me."

"That one's obvious," Castle replied.

Beckett cupped her husband's cheek before she leaned up slightly so they could kiss. They did so gently at first but when he very shortly after pulled her onto his lap hard she wasn't all that surprised, allowing him that as they became more passionate. When they parted very slowly eventually she smiled and said, "A preview?"

"One that benefits me too," Castle replied, smiling widely at her and then kissing her hard again.

Raking her nails gently over his head, Beckett felt him shuddering in pleasure at the touch before they slowly parted again, and she told him, "Tell me love."

"Are you sure?" Castle said, watching her snuggling against his chest as she pressed her hand to it.

"Very," Beckett replied.

"Okay, so the girls were a little worried about Alexandra… Alexis…" Castle started to say.

"She'll be Alexandra there," Beckett said reassuringly.

"Yeah, and even Josie who was just five was worried," Castle told her.

"Eliza gets worried and she's the same age," Beckett pointed out.

Castle thought about that for a moment before he nodded and then said, "Oh and Julia was thirteen and Eliza eight."

"I know, keep going," Beckett told him, kissing his temple.

Laughing for a moment Castle then said, "Okay, so I was finally able to get them going and I made my way home," knowing she was seeing the moment as well when he'd walked into the front door.

* * *

 _"Hello you two," Rick said once he'd hung his hat and coat._

 _"Hello love, they're in school?" Kate asked, gently taking the knitting needles out of their daughter's hands._

 _"They are but it's devilishly cold, I think it'll rain later," Rick said, sitting with them and holding his hands to the stove. "I'll get them in the Ford."_

 _"Good idea," Kate said, letting Alexandra go over to him. She watched him wrap her back up in her blanket and said, "I'll make more-" before her husband grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him._

 _Alexandra watched her parents kissing and smiled, pressing against her father's head before they were parting, taking their kisses to the top of her head before they were talking together in front of the fire._

* * *

"That's about all I can remember," Castle confessed. "Though I think you made her medicinal tea and we relaxed until lunch."

"Irish stew," Beckett said with a smile as she nodded. "No Guinness though." She smiled a little wider when her husband kissed her temple and she breathed out, "I loved her so much Rick," feeling tears pricking the backs of her eyes.

"I think you still do," Castle said, caressing her hair as she'd pressed her face against his neck.

"Are you alright with this?" Beckett asked, raising her head and looking at him.

"Of course, thinking of the papers being signed and everything… it'll feel just like our past life," Castle said. He kissed her and kept it very gentle and simple before he said to her when they'd parted, "You're an amazing woman love; and that includes being a mother."

"You're an amazing man yourself Rick," Beckett replied. She then kissed him and when they stopped murmured against his lips, "I never regretted you being their father; all of our kids we've had."

Castle couldn't resist the urge to kiss his wife and he held her close while he was doing so passionately. When they stopped after two more kisses like the first he said, "We should stop."

"Yeah," Beckett said reluctantly before she got off his lap. She waited for him to lay down before she was joining him, and she said, "I love you Rick," pausing so she could look down at him.

Reaching up to cup his wife's face Castle said, "I love you too Kate." He took her kiss as she was leaning down to him, and when she moved away he waited for her to lay against his side before he embraced her tightly. "Night love," he told her.

"Night Rick," Beckett said with a smile, aware he was fighting the urge to kiss her again and repeatedly. She knew they had a lot the next day, so she merely pressed against him and closed her eyes, dreaming soon after of them together and recalling their love as she was seeing their passion in their past life.


	27. Dance With Me

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: The brief lyrics in this chapter are from the song _Old Siam, Sir_ by Paul McCartney, from the Wings album _Back to the Egg_. And the other brief section of lyrics that are in the chapter; that Skye sings on her own; are my own creation and likely not that good since I'm not song writer, lol.

A/N #2: It was great getting the feedback for the last chapter that I did so let me go right to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Happy to see that you thought the last chapter was great writing!),

Mb (I was glad to read that you thought the chapter was a nice transition from Orlando to DC. I'm glad that you mentioned Nkosi remembering the past life as well, and yeah I have them finding their soul mates again since their connection is so strong. And I agree, the heart wants what it wants and needs. Not surprised you were hoping that Alexis would take Louis advice to talk to Beckett. So great you think already the photo shoot should be interesting and fun. No surprise you think the photographer might want to take pictures of the two with their spouse sine their chemistry they share is so obvious and hot. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I was pleased to see you thought the second half was another wonderfully written chapter. I'm glad that you like that Nkosi's father and mother fit in with everyone there, I figured that would since they're parents and grandparents too. I had wondered what you'd think of Alexis asking Beckett to adopted her and I was really happy seeing your reaction to that. I'm glad you're happy she went to talk to Beckett with Louis' help and encouragement. And I wasn't surprised you mentioned that they've been mother and daughter for a long time, I thought the same and did want to make it official. Great you thought it was good that Alexis opened up about wanting to marry Louis and have children with Louis. And I'm so happy that you thought Beckett's advice was spot on since I've never had a conversation about that. It was nice to see that you loved Louis' response concerning when his parents are told about the adoption. And it was great to read that you think he and Alexis are truly meant to be together and that they have found the one. So happy you loved the flashback and that you think she's being embraced by everyone, as you said happily and lovingly. I'm not surprised you mentioned that it's sad Martha and Jim aren't in it, for some reason that's the direction it went when I was thinking of writing it. But great you thought it was a fantastic update and beautifully written too!) and

Emma (It was nice to read you're still enjoying this story a lot. I'm happy you're loving seeing them in DC now. Also that you love seeing Beckett with one of her first friends from the Academy and one she let in. So pleased you're looking forward to more which there is now!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, loved reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them to me!

A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Fashion_ by David Bowie, from his album _Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)_.

Dance With Me

"Do you think we should complain?"

"About what?"

"The lack of at the very least an eighteenth-century screen? We are changing in here after all."

"I don't think we need to worry about that," Beckett replied wryly. "Are you dressed."

"I am," Skye said. When Beckett turned to her she said, "Well?"

"It looks great," she replied with a smile. "And we look a lot more alike."

"I know," Skye replied as they were wearing similar outfits for their first picture at the photoshoot. "So…" she said as they were looking at each other. "Should we go out?"

"Probably," Beckett replied before she followed the investigator out. She saw her husband first and smiled at him as he hurried over to her before she said, "Well?"

"Yeah, you look great," Castle replied. "How does it feel?" he asked.

Smiling again, as she knew that he was reminding her she would be keeping the outfit, Beckett said, "It's very comfortable."

"I'm glad to hear that," Stella McCartney said as she approached the two. "Turn around?"

Nodding, Beckett quickly did so, letting the designer study the pale blue plaid wool coat before she said, "It is hot though."  
"I would ask them to put the air conditioner higher, but I'll see if we can take these pictures quickly," Stella said. She was going to walk over to the photographer when she paused and said, "I'll likely have you take off the coats so we can get some shots of the outfit underneath."

"Thank you," Beckett said before she watched the woman walk away. She turned to her husband and said, "I'm not taking it off yet."

"No, but if you get over-" Castle began.

"I'll take it off," Beckett assured him.

"And I have a bottle of water," Castle said, holding it up.

"Thank you," Beckett said, kissing his cheek before she heard their daughters calling to her.

"You look really nice Mom!" Julia told her with a smile when they were close enough so she wouldn't have to shout.

"It's pretty," Eliza said, touching the sleeve of her coat. "And it's like Daddy's eyes."

"Pretty close," Castle commented, smiling at his wife when she glanced at him.

"She had that in mind when she designed it," Skye said, coming over to them with her wife and daughters. She smiled at Beckett and told her, "I should confess she asked what colors you might prefer and I told her blues. Mad?"

Breathing out Beckett said, "Not really. And you?"

"I said blues and greens," Skye said, looking down at her forest green coat. She was going to continue when their names were being called and they went together over to the makeshift set where the photographer and Stella were waiting.

"These first shots I think we'll focus on the coats before we go to the outfits underneath," the designer was saying.

"Sure, anything specific?" the photographer asked.

"Well," Stella said, studying the two women. "Should we have Skye standing up? Kate if you could sit on the bench and turn to your left."

Once they were doing that Beckett waited for the man to say something as he was studying them. She took the chance to glance quickly at her husband before she saw he was standing with Mary, a little away from the kids who were watching them with Jim.

"I don't know about her being turned," the photographer said. "Let's have you stand at the end of the bench, maybe leaning against with an umbrella."

Beckett was about to ask where there was one when she saw one of the two aids to the photographer was coming over with a tall umbrella. She nodded to the woman who handed it to her and then stood as the photographer had suggested, waiting for them to say something.

" _Flashbacks yet_?" Skye murmured behind the bench.

" _Stop, if I laugh this takes longer_ ," Beckett said quickly, speaking in Russian as her friend at been.

"We need the chair," the photographer was saying.

"Dad… why is this taking so long?" Julia murmured.

"They need to get it just right," Castle said, hoping they wouldn't be getting impatient.

"Alright, Skye sit," Stella was telling the two once there was an outdoors chair in the place of the bench. "Kate can you hand her the umbrella? Thank you. And you can place your right hand here on this side and turn so at least there's a partial view of the side of the coat."

Once they were set Beckett was relieved when the photographs were quickly taken after and they could move so they could get off their coats. " _How many more times_?" she asked jokingly in Russian as the female aide got them and walked away.

" _I don't know… but the outfit does look nice on you_ ," Skye said.

" _Thanks, and on you_ ," Beckett said as she was wearing a pair of black trousers with a long peasant top in dark blue. The embroidery at the top was in a cream color but not over stated and she said, " _I think her mother wore a dress like this in a picture her father took_."

Skye nodded and was about to speak when she heard a commotion at the entrance to the room in the building where they were taking the pictures. She looked over with Beckett to try and see who it was when Beckett's oldest was crying out in joy to their surprise.

"Paul!" Julia said before she took off at a run.

"Hello again Julia," the singer told her with a laugh as she hugged him. He embraced her and said, "You've gotten quite tall."

"Not that much," Julia said shyly though she couldn't help smiling widely at him. "Josa's gotten way bigger."

"I suppose she would," Paul said, playfully tugging on the braid in her hair before he turned his attention to his daughter. "So sorry I'm late darling, bit of traffic."

"That's alright, we've only gotten the first few pictures," Stella said after they had embraced.

"I should say hello," Paul said. "To your models first so you can get back to work," he told his daughter though he was smiling as Skye and Beckett were walking up to them. "You were serious about the twin sisters idea," he said to his daughter after studying the two.

"That just naturally happened after we pulled their hair back," Stella said in amusement as the two women were sharing a look of slight annoyance.

"I'll say it one last time; we're not twins," Skye said as she was hugging Paul tightly. "Doppelgangers?" she asked her friend after letting the singer go.

"That's actually a dangerous thing," Castle couldn't help commenting. "Better stick with twins."

"It's nice to see you Paul," Beckett said, embracing him next. She smiled when they pulled away and was about to ask him if he'd come to see them specifically when the singer was speaking first.

"I came because I'm on a break from the tour for the moment," Paul was saying. "Well, me and the band of course. We're making our way west now."

"We get to see you in California," Eliza said eagerly.

"I know," Paul said before he said hello to the kids there and Mary last. "Now we should let your mums take those pictures. And you both look great."

"Thank you," Skye said with a smile, taking the blazer that the male aide was giving to her. She put it on over her green plaid blouse before she said to Beckett in Russian, " _Hopefully people buy blue and green for fall_."

" _It's different_ ," she replied. Beckett was startled when she was handed an old looking book before Skye was given the same. She wasn't surprised when hers was a rich green while her friend's was deep blue. A second chair was placed behind the one already on the 'stage' and she was about to sit when the photographer stopped them.

"I think," the man said, looking at Stella. "We should move things outside." When the designer nodded he was going to the workers there and his aides while she was walking to Beckett and Skye to speak to them.

"We need to head out, I was hoping we would be alright staying inside," Stella began. "But it's only going to be for this one. After we're done we'll come inside and stay here."

The two had no protest to that so they went together outside where the chairs were placed in front of a tree that was in between the building they'd been in and another across the plaza.

" _Still weird_ ," Skye said in Russian as the woman who'd done her hair and makeup was fixing her hair.

" _I know_ ," Beckett replied. Luckily the pictures were being taken shortly after and she hoped the kids and their spouses that were still in the building weren't getting too impatient.

"Julia?" Paul said, standing with the girl at one of the windows.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Come 'ead, I need to ask you something that's very important," Paul said, taking her arm gently and pulling her with him closer to where her mother had been taking pictures.

"What's that about?" Jim asked his son in law as they watched the two talking.

"I'm not sure," Castle replied. "But if she's laughing I think it's okay."

"You can always try that one right now," Julia was saying to Paul.

"I might do that," he said as they looked over at the elevator to find the door opening and his daughter was walking in with Beckett and Skye, the three of them talking before he called to the investigator to stop her from going over to the other room where he assumed the outfits were.

"What can I help you with?" Skye asked, walking over to him.

Beckett glanced at her husband as the singer and investigator were speaking quietly together and was surprised when his eyes darted over to their oldest. Since Julia was standing so close to Paul she wasn't surprised when the girl merely smiled at her look before the singer was speaking.

"Alright, Stella I need to try something very quickly," Paul told her.

"Go ahead," the designer said in obvious amusement.

"Ready?" Paul asked Skye.

"Sure," the investigator said slowly.

"Alright one, two, three," Paul counted off before she was singing.

 _In a village in old Siam sir, lived a lady who lost her way  
In an effort to find a man sir, she found herself in the old UK  
She waited 'round in Walthamstowe, she skated 'round in Scarborough  
She waited 'round in Walthamstowe, she skated 'round in Scarborough_

Beckett laughed with the others as Skye exaggerated the 'ough' at the end of the last word before they were applauding.

"Thank you," the investigator said, giving short bows. "I told you I've sung it before but if you want that one to ever be a duet we should try another verse." And there she began to sing, Paul joining her soon after, so they were together for those six lines.

 _In a letter from Old Siam sir, came an awful tale of woe  
She decided the only answer was to get off a pile of dough  
She waited 'round in Walthamstowe, she skated 'round in Scarborough  
She waited 'round in Walthamstowe, she skated 'round in Scarborough  
When a relative told her man sir, he directed her not to stay  
In a village in Old Siam sir, there's a lady who's lost her way_

Skye smiled at her oldest two daughters who'd whistled while everyone was applauding, and she said, "Leave a tip for your performers," jokingly before she walked after Beckett over to the other room.

"That was really nice," she said to her friend once Skye had locked the door. When the investigator merely smiled at her Beckett then said, "You looked like you were having fun."

"It's a beautiful song," Skye said. "Oh, that bass is wicked, and I can play it well if I have a four string."

Beckett smiled as she watched her friend making chords with her fingers before she said, "Too bad we didn't have a guitar for you; maybe Paul does." She laughed with Skye when the investigator began to and when they stopped she said, "What about the song?"

"Oh, and what makes you think I'll be telling you all about that?" Skye asked jokingly. She then became a bit serious and told her, "We're smoothing it out but slowly because we go back to it." She saw that Beckett merely nodded and she sang quickly what was the possible chorus to the song that she, Paul and Mary were all writing together.

 _Mountains, west from home  
Flying far apart  
She waits for me as I roam  
Winging through blue skies of art  
Back to my beautiful isle wherein lies my heart_

"But that's actually the chorus," Skye said with a smile as Beckett was doing so widely. "The verse Mary and I wrote essentially about our relationship with each other."

"Hmm," Beckett said.

"What?" Skye said.

"Let me guess," Beckett replied. "You're the unattainable Ireland?"

"That was her and Paul," Skye replied with a sigh, finishing unbuttoning her blouse. "When we told him about our relationship and how I was…" She shook her head, taking off her blouse and said, "I was a fool."

"You were afraid," Beckett said firmly. "I was as well at our beginning. It's why we focused so much on our intimacy and I gradually realized that I didn't mind spending a night watching TV on the couch with him."

" _An póg ó am go chéile_?" Skye said, which meant the occasional kiss.

With a smirk; as she knew that applied to Skye and Mary as well; Beckett replied, " _Agus teagmháil an-pléisiúr_ ," which meant and very pleasurable touch.

" _Good thing we didn't have kids around then at the time_ ," Skye said slowly, still speaking in Irish.

" _And that's why you two are going to be doing that spa thing later_ ," Beckett said with a smile.

"Oh, very true," Skye said with a heavy Irish accent.

Beckett opened her mouth to speak but before she could there was a knock on the door behind her and she turned before opening it slightly. "Sweetie?" she said in surprise.

"Yeah, can I come in?" Julia asked hopefully.

"Hello there," Skye said with a smile. "I apologize for not having a shirt on, but we have nothing to change behind in here."

"Julia, maybe you should-" Beckett started to say.

"I won't watch you," the girl said to the investigator. "But can I watch you get dressed? To help?"

"Ah, I think she just wants to see your clothes," Skye said with a smile. "But we should hurry."

"Alright," Beckett said. She turned to the next outfit and then paused as there were shoes there that hadn't been there before. "Skye," she said.

"Aye?" the woman said, turning to look at her. "Those are from your husband; not me. I just told him how to get them custom made."

"Your own Windsors Mom," Julia said, feeling her cheeks heating up as she'd looked over at Skye instinctively and had seen the woman in her bra and panties.

"Sorry Julia," the woman said. "But that's what women wear."

"I said I wasn't going to look," Julia said in shame.

"You can now, I'm dressed," Skye told her. She smiled when mother and daughter turned to her and said, "Now all I need is a bowler hat and I'm a right toff."

"You look great," Beckett said as she was wearing a women's cut business suit that was a very deep blue.

"Thank you, put yours on now," she urged her before Skye went over to grab the umbrella that was going to be sold by the designer too.

Her eyes on her mother Julia couldn't help saying, "Mom, is it weird I think it's weird you don't look like you had a baby?"

"She's right," Skye said simply as Beckett glanced at her.

Laughing she said, "No, it's alright. I exercised for my health to lose the weight I gained when I was pregnant with your sister."

Julia then said, "That's such a pretty skirt; Dad's going to love it."

Shooting Skye a look when she said in Irish, " _And nothing else on you_ ," Beckett told her daughter, "Thank you sweetie."

"Ooh a coat? That's perfect!" Julia said eagerly as her mother pulled on a shorter trench coat on top of the white blouse she had as well.

"Let's go," Beckett said before she put her hand on her daughter's back and they were stepping out first together.

" _Éasca_ ," Mary said, telling Castle the word easy when she saw the way his body visibly tensed as their wives walked out of the room. She could see why he was attracted to Beckett, her black skirt ending at her knees leaving a thin strip of exposed skin before her boots began. She smiled then at her wife and tried to control her arousal as she studied the way the suit hugged Skye's body; particularly her breasts and hips; and nearly jumped when the writer nudged her side.

" _Éasca_ ," Castle told her teasingly.

"Oh, give over," Mary said before they had to turn and watch the two go to the set.

"Wait," Stella said as she was at the elevator doors. "Julia, Marie; come here please."

"Go ahead," Skye told her daughter.

Seeing her mother nodding Julia joined the oldest McDouglas girl and they hurried to the designer before Stella was handing them two things in garment bags and explaining what they were.

"They're dresses that I had made last minute for you two; they're part of the collection for children I'll have for the fall as well," Stella was telling them. She smiled at their mothers and said, "Just one dress each; I want you to be with them for this picture with the books again."

"For cohesion?" Julia asked. She giggled shyly when the designer looked at her in surprise and she told her, "I've watched _Project Runway_ with my friend Mari."

"Oh, that's right, she wants to be a designer," Stella said. "My father told me about her. I'd love to meet her."

"She's at the zoo right now," Julia said in disappointment as she knew her best friend would love to meet the designer.

"True," Stella said with a slight smile. "But hurry, change and then we'll take the next picture."

"We can do it ourselves," Marie said, taking Julia's hand before they ran over to the room.

"Um, there's nowhere to change," Julia said a little shyly when they were inside, and the little girl had locked the door.

"It doesn't matter, our moms changed in front of each other," Marie replied.

"You don't think your sisters are jealous?" Julia asked, turning away as the little girl was taking off her t-shirt.

"Nope, I saw them, and they were thinking the same thing I am," Marie said.

"But neither of us really look like our moms," Julia said.

"I know but we look close enough," Marie said. "Can you zip up the back of my dress?"

"Sure," Julia said. "If you help me with mine." When they'd zipped up each other's dresses she said, "Still, I like this idea."

"Cousins?" Marie asked.

"Cousins," Julia said with a grin. They shook each other's hands and then walked together outside to their mothers at the stage.

"Oh, now that is cute," Skye said when she saw her oldest.

"Thank you; any of your other daughters want it I can have it made for them," Stella said.

"We'd buy it… but they might not want the same one," Skye told her, wrapping her arm around Marie. Her dress had a Peter Pan collar above a red and blue plaid pattern and she told her, "You look like you did in our past life."

"Did you tell her I like these?" Marie asked, motioning to the collar.

"I did," Skye said. "Didn't expect a dress though."

"Thanks for mine," Julia said as hers looked a lot like a dress from the fifties in design though the skirt didn't bell out that much. "I love these dresses," looking down at the pale blue fabric.

"I guessed," Stella said with a smile. "Alright, let's get you all set up we have more to go still."

Castle watched as the two girls waited for Beckett and Skye to be posed first; his wife sitting on one of the chairs that was brought back inside while the latter was standing next to the other. He smiled when the girls were standing with them, Julia holding one of the fake books and standing next to her mother who'd crossed her legs at her ankles. He was suddenly breathing hard; at least in his mind; as his pulse raced at the sight of her legs though they were covered mostly by her boots and skirt. Shaking himself before he could start showing his arousal, he looked at Skye and Marie, seeing that the investigator had her left foot up on the chair perpendicular to his wife and she was pretending to shine her boot while the little girl was pretending to read to her.

"Wonderful," Stella said, watching the screen of the camera as the four got out of the positions while the photographer was still taking pictures as Mary and Castle had asked her to while the girls were changing.

"That was so much fun," Marie said to her mother when they were in the room and changing.

"It was; for one picture," Skye told her with a smile as she helped her out of the dress. "Hopefully you'll be able to wear this for Christmas."

"I hope so too!" Marie replied.

"It was kinda fun," Julia told her mother with a smile as they'd been listening to the two.

"It was but I hope you won't do that again unless you really want to; or because Stella asks you again," Beckett said.

"I won't," Julia replied, smiling as she put on her shirt last. When she was ready she said, "Can I stay?"

"Yes," Beckett replied, going to the next outfit. She saw that it was her turn for a women's cut business suit though hers had a blue dress shirt as opposed to the white that Skye had had. When she was dressed she picked up the coat and said, "She's letting us keep these?"

"She is," the investigator said with a smile, wearing leggings and a shirt dress in a deep green. "I know… but I still have trousers on," she said when she saw Beckett studying her outfit. "This might go to Mary though."

"You're the same size?" Julia asked, wondering if the woman would mind the leggings that were touching the investigator's bare skin.

"She might not wear the leggings but even if she did I'm sure she could have them taken in," Skye said before they were walking out of the room. "Back on the stage," she told them before she and Beckett shared a smile at the way their daughters laughed at her exaggerated tone before they went over to the stage and waited for the photographer to pose the two of them again.

* * *

"Hold still Rosie," Beckett said teasingly to Skye before the woman put her hands down.

"You know…" the investigator began before she trailed off. She was tempted to shake her head but held back since she knew it would annoy her friend. So instead she said, "Never mind."

"Sexual?" Beckett asked her. "And I finished."

Going to the mirror that was in the room with them Skye said, "Nice. And yeah, Mary wants to call me that in bed."

"Liar, if you want me to stop then just tell me," Beckett said with a smile.

"No, it's alright," Skye said. She turned to her friend and then said, "Now your turn; stay still Katie."

Sticking her tongue out playfully at her, Beckett laughed when the investigator did the same back to her though she'd been picking up the blue scarf that was going to go around her neck. "It feels familiar doesn't it?" she finally said when Skye was finishing with the knot Stella had told them she wanted.

"Yeah, let's go," the investigator said with a smile as they were ready in white dress shirts and black blazers. They were wearing different Capri pants; what they'd wear for the rest of the day; as they would be finished after those last shots. When they were back on the stage they looked at the photographer, waiting for him to tell them their pose which he was shortly after doing.

"Just sit, shoulder to shoulder look straight on towards the camera," the man said. "No smiling, we're going to have this be a more dramatic shot."

Since she and Skye didn't say anything, Beckett was soon looking into the camera as the shutter was going off. There weren't any issues with the pictures so she and her friend went together over to the room to finally change. "That felt like it took way too long," she commented as she was pulling on her blouse.

"It is, I can see why you only did that once," Skye told her, finished first as she'd only changed into a t-shirt. "And now we can get our day really started."

"Definitely," Beckett replied as she was finished, and they went together to the door so they could head out to their families to meet the rest of the group for their excursion through the capital's zoo.

* * *

"Alright," Castle said, standing up as the group was finishing their snacks they'd gotten later in the mid-afternoon as they were nearing the end of their trip through the zoo. He smiled when they looked up at him and he said, "Sorry there's a… sort of an announcement that Kate and I wanted to make."

"I think you better tell them love," Beckett told her husband with a smile when she saw the confusion on nearly everyone's face; including their two middle daughters.

"I can," Alexis said. "Sit down Dad."

"Sure," Castle said, doing so swiftly.

"I asked Kate if she would adopt me last night," Alexis told the others. "And she agreed."

"What does that mean?" Julia asked in slight confusion.

"That Alexis will be my daughter," Beckett said. "And your full sister; just not by blood."

"That doesn't matter," Julia said, waving her hand. She then smiled and said, "Really?" to her big sister.

"Really," Alexis said before she was laughing as both her little sisters were throwing themselves at her. "I'm glad you're happy about that," she told them after she'd hugged them.

"Why not, we want you to be our big sister all the way," Eliza told her, looking up at her.

"I think you mean fully," Castle said.

"Are you gonna call her Mom now?" Eliza then said.

Shaking her head Alexis told the two, "I want to call her Ma; like we did in our past life."

Beckett watched Julia hug her sister again, wondering what she was telling her as Alexis was soon nodding in agreement.

"She's the best mom," the girl was saying into her sister's ear. "She'll take care of you and if you have kids too."

Pulling back so she could look at her sister a little more closely, Alexis saw she was serious and wondered if Julia figuring that out about her was a mother-daughter thing. She then smiled and said, "I know, but don't mention that last part to Dad."

Julia nodded and went over to her mother, hugging her tightly and telling her, "Thanks for doing that."

"You're welcome, but your sister has been my daughter for a long time," Beckett replied. She kissed her cheek once they'd parted and told her, "This just makes it official. But are you ready for the last bit of the zoo?"

"Yeah, so we really get to go back to the house?" Julia asked, letting her mother go.

"You don't mind?" Castle asked her.

"No way, it was fun playing inside," Julia said.

"Yeah, they had stuff for us too," Jacob commented. "And we had our stuff."

"Good thing," Castle said. "Then we should get going to the last part."

"What is it Daddy?" Eliza asked, hurrying to her father so he could put her on his shoulders.

"The big cats," Castle replied, watching his wife checking on their baby before they all started to walk.

"I take it she likes those," Paul commented. He and his daughter were with the group, taking the time to enjoy his time off he had left before his tour began again.

Beckett told the singer quickly about the circumstances when she and Castle had last encountered a tiger and she was startled to see the frown on his face. She was about to ask what was wrong when he was speaking before she could.

"That hasn't made you hate the animal has it?" Paul asked.

"Oh no, we're aware the tiger was just doing what it needed to do," Beckett said. "Plus, our daughters love the animal."

"It appears as if Josie does quite a bit," Paul said as the baby had her Tigger stuffed doll next to her.

"I know," Beckett said with a smile. "It figures she'd want that one out of all the choices at Disney World."

"Mommy," Eliza said, rushing back over to them. "We're at the prairie dogs!"

"I saw," Beckett said since she could see the habitat ahead.

"Daddy," Eliza said before she reached him. When he picked her up she immediately began to take pictures of the small animals that were running around in the dirt of their habitat.

Castle, watching Eliza, nearly jumped when he felt a hand slipping into his and he looked down to see that it was Julia. "What's wrong?" he asked after he'd set the little girl down so she could go over to Dani who was near them.

"This reminds me of in San Francisco," Julia told him. "When we saw the meerkats. Remember?"

"I don't think I ever forgot that sweetheart," Castle told her, wrapping his arm around her. He wasn't surprised when she hugged him, and he leaned down enough so he could kiss the top of her head before he said, "When we go back to San Francisco we'll definitely have to go there."

Julia nodded and then said, "I'd like to try and find our house Dad," smiling when he looked confused before realization came over his face.

"I wish we could, but I hope you don't expect us to go around Mill Valley trying to find it," Castle told her.

"If you remembered what it looked like?" Julia suggested.

"And it may have been changed since then," Castle replied. "That was a long time ago."

"Oh," Julia said as she hadn't realized that. She sighed and said, "I want to see it."

"I don't blame you," Castle told her. "But do you have enough pictures?"

"Of these? Yeah," Julia said with a smile. "I'll see you later," she said jokingly as she went over to where Mari was with Erin and Stella.

"Hey love," Castle said, looking at his wife when she walked up to him.

"Hey," Beckett said. She waited for her husband to speak, not surprised when he soon after started telling her about what he and their oldest had talked about. "I'm not surprised she felt that watching them," she said when he finished.

"I know, I'm just glad that she remembered," Castle confessed.

"She remembers a lot of that trip to San Francisco," Beckett said. She watched her husband just before they left to go to the next animals and she said, "You want to go back."

"And you don't?" Castle replied simply.

"I do," Beckett said simply. "But for the time being I think we need to leave San Francisco for another time." She wasn't surprised when he frowned, and she was about to speak when she heard Eliza squealing and they looked together to see where they'd ended up.

"If they weren't so young I'd say they were trying to spite us," Castle commented as he watched his wife take Josie from her carrier as they were in front of the tiger habitat.

Beckett shook her head, smiling, before she held the baby against her chest so she was facing the tigers that were laying in the grass. Though she knew Josie couldn't see them she smiled at the way the baby was cooing and then said gently to her husband, "At least she's happy."

"She had her nap," Castle commented before he leaned down and kissed the top of her head before he kissed his wife's cheek. "We'll take you to see tigers as often as we can ceann beag," he told the baby, brushing Josie's cheek with the backs of his fingers. "And at least you have your Tigger doll." He smiled when he saw the baby was and then took her from Beckett before he saw Paul was walking over to them. "So you talked about that?" he asked the singer.

"Your daughters are quite smart," Paul replied. "And it's been interesting walking around with them."

"I hope we'll see you again soon," Beckett said, glancing at Julia who was walking over to them.

"You may; if Skye makes it to the finale," the singer replied, smiling at the girl who was leaning against her mother. "Though I might come earlier if I can, I'd want to see how you do Julia."

"I'm not really dancing," the girl said quickly. "But you should still go; it'll be a lot of fun." Julia was pleased when he nodded, and she looked at her parents before she said, "Only a little more to go."

"Should we keep going?" Beckett asked her. She laughed when her oldest nodded rapidly and wrapped her arm around her shoulders so they could walk together as they moved on to the next animal with their family and friends.

* * *

" _Grá_? Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?" Skye repeated.

"No, I was saying hmm as in go ahead," Mary said.

Turning from their view of the water Skye froze and then said, "Well," as a smile spread across her face. "How does it feel?"

"Marvelous," Mary replied. She smiled herself when her wife laughed, and she then said, "And I'm enjoying thinking of you wearing this yourself."

"Oh really?" Skye asked as her wife didn't stop walking until she was stepping up close to her.

"Very erotic," Mary said before she brushed her lips to hers. "Now we need to get this off; time for your massage."

"That's what I was going to ask," Skye told her as her wife was sliding her hands under the blazer she'd worn at the photoshoot. When they'd returned to their room Mary had made her wear the second of her business suits and she'd wondered why though she was starting to realize the answer as they were kissing deeply.

"You can't blame me," Mary told her when they'd parted. "You are gorgeous, and I wanted to take you in the room, lock everyone out."

"Which is why we're doing that now?" Skye asked with a smile on her face.

"We are," Mary said simply as she was beginning to unbutton her blouse. When her wife tried to reach for the sash on her green dress that Skye had given to her, she playfully slapped away her hand and said, "This stays on."

"I thought it was going to be an erotic massage," the investigator said.

"Separate them," Mary replied as she unbuttoned and unzipped her wife's trousers.

"As in myself from my clothes?" Skye asked.

"Exactly," Mary replied. She looked on while her wife removed the trousers and the pale grey panties she'd worn underneath and said, "Lay on the bed."

Skye saluted her, not surprised when her wife rolled her eyes and she smiled before she climbed onto the bed and lay on her stomach, looking back at the bathroom until Mary was walking out. "Can I beg you to take that off?" she asked desperately before she could join her on the bed.

Pausing, the woman smiled and said, "I suppose but I'll do that anyway." Mary couldn't help laughing softly when her wife pretended to grumble but she very soon after took off the dress, not surprised Skye was watching her. "It still would have been an erotic massage," she commented while she got onto the bed.

"But I wouldn't have been aware," the investigator replied. She jumped when her wife slapped her ass and she said, "Things are going to start before we're ready."

"I'm ready," Mary said as she got some of the cherry blossom oil that came with the room on her hands. "Don't," she said as her wife turned her head. "Stay still."

Since she had expected it, Skye wasn't surprised when her wife started to rub at her shoulders firmly and she groaned in relief before she hissed as she'd quickly found a knot.

"Why are you so tense?" Mary asked as it took her a bit to get that out.

"Frustration," Skye mumbled into the pillow she was on.

"What?" Mary said, not able to hear her.

With a sigh Skye turned her head and said, "Frustration. We've only been able to fool around _grá_. I need you."

"I was going to insist that you return the favor," Mary said slowly.

"I will," Skye said earnestly. She groaned as her wife moved to a spot that made her shiver fully and she whispered, "Don't stop."

"Hmm, you're so tense I don't think I can," Mary said.

"Hey!" Skye said with a gasp when she suddenly felt her wife's hand slide over her ass. "Oh!" she moaned when Mary grasped it firmly. "Don't…"

"I won't," the woman said with a sigh. "It's just so hard to resist. It's… perfect."

"I have better things," Skye commented.

Mary smiled and went quickly to her back again, massaging it thoroughly until she was sure that everything was supple to her touch. She was about to wash her hands when Skye was flipping her around onto her stomach and she told her, "Is this going to be rough?"

"Not yet," the investigator said as a promise to her wife. She got the bottle of oil before she said jokingly, "Here we go." Beginning to massage her wife, Skye couldn't help growing more and more aroused at the way Mary was groaning in pleasure until she had finished. They washed their hands together in the bathroom and kept kissing one another until they pulled away after several of them and she asked, "What'll we do now?"

Smiling Mary said, "Come on," before she took her wife by the hand and pulled her over to the bed where she gently pushed her towards it. After she was laying on it she turned to the closet and rummaged around for a bit before she pulled something out.

"Now?" Skye asked though she had pushed herself up to watch her wife walk out to her, waving one of their toys in her hand.

"Sure, I mean there's nothing that says we can't do something naughty now," Mary replied with a smirk.

"Come here," Skye told her breathily before pulling her up on the bed though she was already climbing on the mattress. As soon as she was close enough she kissed her and continued to do so as they held the toy together. When they finally had to stop she said with a smile, "How should we start?"

"Lay down," Mary said, reaching up and brushing her fingers over her wife's left breast.

"Hmm," Skye said before her wife was bowing her head to her chest. She gently pulled her away before Mary could get too involved in that and said, "We are starting."

"You can't really deny me this," the woman replied simply.

"No, or this," Skye said, reaching for her to gently rub at her folds. When Mary moaned in response they wasted little time to get their hips pressed together and she kissed her wife hungrily before they began to thrust together. "I'm so glad we stayed in," she whispered when they needed to breathe.

"Me too," Mary said, smiling before they fell into one another and kissed again.

And while they began to move together more rapidly, Skye decided their pleasure wasn't going to end that afternoon. They had the entire night together though she conveniently forgot their dinner with their friends as they were continuing to make love together so intimately.

* * *

"Too bad they didn't join us," Lily said as she dipped down to her chin in the Jacuzzi.

"I don't think they really wanted to," Beckett replied with a smile.

"No, but they could have gotten the mani/pedis," Lily replied.

"Not with the way they were looking at each other," Clara commented.

"Yeah, you didn't notice?" Rebecca asked wryly.

"I was busy looking at my own husband," Lily said jokingly.

"I think we all were looking at our husbands," Clara said as they were laughing together. When they stopped she said, "What have you all planned for tonight?"

"Club," Beckett said simply. "And why did you all look at me?"

"You and Rick usually have interesting plans," Lily said simply. "But it doesn't surprise me you go there."

"What kind of club is it?" Clara asked.

"A typical one," Beckett replied. She then thought of something and said, "Is it weird that we're usually the oldest ones there now?"

"Not really, where else are you going to be able to go to dance like that?" Rebecca commented. When Beckett looked at her with wide eyes she said, "Why else would you guys go there?"

"She's right," Lily said. "I'd love to go and just… rub on my husband."

"Oh god," Beckett said with a laugh as she shook her head. "We do dance."

"It's not just you," Rebecca said. "That's usually what they're doing when they dance."

"Hmm, I might have to take Brennan one time while we're here," Clara said.

"I'll give you the address; you can go tonight you know," Beckett said quickly.

"That's alright we have… other plans," Clara replied.

"And do the rest of you have other plans?" Beckett asked the other women.

"Yes," Rebecca said. "So do you; after you come back."

"I think we need to get out," Beckett said, shaking her head in amusement as the other women were laughing. She stepped out of the small pool first and said as she got her robe, "You know that you guys can all go to the club."

"I'm serious," Clara said simply.

"Why aren't you and Rick just running into your room?" Lily asked after she was dry and had her robe on.

"We have to have some sort of prelude," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her friend gave her a look and she laughed before telling her, "It is, and since the first time we danced together I ended up arresting someone instead of going home with Rick we like to be able to do that."

"I don't blame you for that," Clara said. "But I'd prefer to dance in our room."

"Me too," Lily said.

"So would I," Rebecca said.

"Come on," Lily then said. "We need to get to the mani/pedis."

As they were walking after the employee who'd walked to the Jacuzzi room Beckett said to the others, "How do you think our husbands are doing with the kids?"

"No idea, but let's hope that the kids don't injure them," Rebecca said.

"That's the most important thing," Clara said.

Beckett laughed with the other women, but she wondered what they were doing at that moment, hoping her girls were having fun with their friends and more especially their father and sister.


	28. Dance With Me (Part 2)

"I still find it hard to believe."

"Why?" Castle asked his wife as he walked up to the wardrobe to look in at her.

"I was going to surprise you," Beckett said, smiling at him as she stepped up to the doorway.

"You look amazing," Castle said. When his wife put her fingers under his chin to tilt his head back up he said, "You can't blame me."

"No, but I would like to be able to look into your eyes while we talk," Beckett told him. "And I find it hard to believe the girls didn't want to play with you."

"They were mostly with their sister," Castle said with a shrug. "After hearing the news…"

"What?" Beckett asked, going past him so she could slip into the bathroom.

"No, I'm just thinking they likely wanted to do that knowing she'll be their full sister soon," Castle said, leaning against the sink counters as he watched her brushing her hair. "So, the spa was nice?"

"It was," Beckett said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "You're staring love."

"Yes, I am," Castle replied simply. "And yes, I am staring all over."

"Pervert," Beckett said wryly. "But I'm glad you are." She then saw that he was looking down and she was going to ask him what was wrong with her legs; jokingly; when he suddenly moved.

Castle managed to hear the gasp from his wife as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed around her neck as by then she'd draped her hair over her left shoulder. He was trying not to attack her but when she moaned he didn't stop before he slowly pulled away so he could breathe a little better. Feeling her trembling gently as his breath hit her moist skin he said, "This club-"

"We won't be there for long," Beckett said, relieved that her legs were a little stronger by then. "Believe me… that bed…" she was trying to say as her husband was kissing her neck. When he carefully turned her around and took her lips she allowed him to, wanting that before they were wrapping their arms around each other tightly and kissing as hard as they could. After a second, she recalled she needed to stop them as their friends were going to be with them for dinner. "When we get back I think we can take all the time we want," she told her husband as he was nuzzling her shoulder with his nose though it was covered by her dress. She wasn't surprised when he let out an exaggerated sigh and she smiled before he kissed her cheek and then stepped back from her.

"We should go," Castle said.

"Rick, stop looking at my legs," Beckett said as he was staring down at them again.

" _Tá siad sobhlasta_ ," Castle said, telling her the phrase they're delicious.

Pausing in slipping her feet into her heels Beckett said wryly, "Maybe I should have worn a longer dress."

"I would have seen them still," Castle said, somehow managing to tear his eyes away from her limbs. He was startled when she pressed against him and he held onto her quickly.

"Don't think about them too much alright?" Beckett told him.

"Yeah," Castle said quickly before he brushed his lips to hers. "Ready?" he asked.

Beckett nodded, and they walked together out of their room once she made sure that he had the key. As they were heading to the elevators she told him, " _Maybe we shouldn't sit together_ ," in Irish.

" _I'm not going to touch you_ ," Castle said in a mock complaining tone. He then smiled at her and said, " _You want me to do that anyway_."

" _I wish you could_ ," Beckett said. " _But it'd be noticeable_."

" _It would_ ," Castle said as they were soon going down in the elevator car they'd stepped in. He saw that she glanced down at him and said, " _Not that_ ," in mock annoyance.

Beckett smiled and then leaned over, kissing his cheek before she hugged him tightly saying, " _I shouldn't tease you_."

" _No, later yes_ ," Castle replied. The elevator stopped, and he said in English that time, "But for now I hope you're hungry."

"Very," Beckett said, slipping her hand into his before they made their way together to the restaurant where they could see his daughter and Louis were already waiting at the entrance.

"Are we late?" Castle asked the pair.

"No, I think we ended up being early," Alexis said in amusement. "You look nice," she told her stepmother.

"What's wrong?" Beckett asked with a gentle smile to put her stepdaughter at ease.

"I'm wondering, do you think Jim would want me to call him grandpapa now?" Alexis asked.

"Did your sisters talk to you about that?" Beckett asked.

Shaking her head Alexis told her as they went into the restaurant, "I remembered Eliza's told me to do that… often."

"I think she wanted you to be related to us fully," Beckett commented. She thanked her husband; as he'd helped her sit on her chair at their long table; and then said to her stepdaughter, "He would want you to decide that." She then studied her face and said, "You talked to him already didn't you?"

"I did," Alexis said. "He said to mention it to you, but if you didn't mind I could do what I pleased."

"And what did you tell him you would do?" Beckett asked quickly, seeing that the Davises were at the entrance with her cousins.

Smiling; as she wasn't all that surprised that she'd been able to guess; Alexis said, "I told him I'd like to call him that as well; he'd be my grandfather after all."

"How did he take it?" Castle asked though the others were sitting at the table as the Fosters had appeared with Darnley and Nkosi shortly after.

"Take what?" Brad asked when they were settled with menus.

"He was glad to hear that as he mentioned the girls had told him to tell me to call him grandpapa," Alexis replied before they needed to order their drinks and Brennan was speaking as soon as their waiter and waitress had left.

"It's not weird to be doing that?" he said.

Shaking her head Alexis glanced at her father and when he nodded she confessed to the others, "I've missed having a grandfather and Jim is a great one. I've been jealous of my sisters."

"You know you're right," Brad said. "I've been jealous of them too," he said, smiling slightly at his wife when she squeezed his hand.

"I told him I'll start calling him that once the paperwork is finished," Alexis said swiftly, having forgotten the man hadn't known his father either. "But I'm looking forward to tomorrow," she said, trying not to visibly wince at how clumsy her change of subject was.

"I'm glad the kids are too," David commented. "I figured the museum would bore them."

"I think you got Mari's attention with the clothes," Castle said.

"What?" Lily asked when she saw the mayor was looking at her and her husband. "Oh, is it Eve and Jake's ages?"

"Sort of," David replied.

"I don't think they have anything else they can do," Brad said. "And we're lucky they like museums too."

"And they've heard of Smithsonian of course," Lily added.

"You haven't been here have you?" Rebecca asked Skye and Mary.

"With our oldest?" the former said. When the woman nodded she said, "No, just us two. But we've told the girls about what there are in the Smithsonian museums here so they were eager already."

Since the waiter and waitress had returned everyone became busy ordering their food but as soon as they finished Darnley was speaking telling them, "You guys are forgetting something else." He wasn't surprised, and he said, "The fathers. Trev and I told the kids about what they'll see. Not everything; we didn't have much time; but we gave them some hints and we used our most excited voices possible."

Beckett laughed with the others before she said, "I'm really glad my mother in law and Bethany were there with you guys."

"Yeah, so things wouldn't get too wacky," Rebecca said, using a joking tone of voice as Beckett had too.

"Oh… they got to that a bit," Brennan said laughingly. "Can't help it with kids."

"I forgot about you Alexis," Beckett said then to her stepdaughter, realizing what she'd said before.

"I was as wacky as they were," the young woman said laughingly before her father was talking.

"At least you mothers had the chance to relax," Castle commented.

"We should set something for the men," Clara said.

"If you do include us both," Darnley said in mock eagerness before they were all breaking out into laughter again as their food was being brought over.

"You know one thing we need to do," Castle said after they'd started to eat for a bit. "Ask Julia about what she and Paul were talking about."

"Apparently they were talking together for a while we weren't taking pictures," Beckett said quickly to the others before she turned back to her husband. "How long were they talking exactly?"

"For a while," Mary answered before Castle could reply.

"What she said," he told her when Beckett looked at him. "And they were separate from us for a while."

"A song?" Brennan asked.

"No," Beckett said in amusement. "Oh," she said as something came to her at the reminder about the photoshoot. "Stella pulled me back before we left for the zoo."

"That's what I was wondering about," Castle said. "What did she want? Another photoshoot?"

"She asked us if we'd do that again maybe," Skye said.

"Both of you?" Nkosi asked.

Beckett nodded and then said, "We said we would if it was feasible for us to be in the same city at the same time. But that was before we went to put on the scarves in the last picture. No, she talked to me on my own."

* * *

 _"Dad told me you two had a wedding ceremony last year," Stella began._

 _"Yes… oh, that reminds me to ask him if he'll want to come for our tenth," Beckett said, looking ahead of them for the singer before the designer was touching her arm._

 _"Your husband also spoke with me," Stella said. When the woman groaned she laughed and said, "He said you might figure out what he requested when I mentioned this to you."_

 _"I did," Beckett said with a sigh. "But you don't need to do anything."_

 _"Well, he mentioned your mother is making a lace jacket to wear over your dress," Stella said. "And unless you have a dress I can get one made for you."_

 _"Why would you?" Beckett immediately asked. "Just out of curiosity."_

 _"He begged me," Stella said. "And I haven't designed anything for weddings for a couple years; I'd love the chance to do that again. Plus, it would be interesting to design for you."_

 _"Would-" Beckett began._

 _"No, it would be solely for your use," Stella interrupted._

 _"What about… payment, if that's not too crass to say," Beckett then said._

 _Shaking her head Stella told her, "You just worked for me for free; it's repayment in that way."_

 _"And Skye?" Beckett asked._

 _Smiling Stella replied, "Her costumes for the show. Well, I can't make them but I can design them for her. It would be interesting to do that for Skye as well."_

 _"Good trade-off," Beckett said before she laughed with the designer and they started to walk after their family and friends again._

* * *

"Stella McCartney's designing your wedding dress," Lily stated.

"It's not going to be anything really… elaborate," Beckett said, shifting slightly on her seat.

"I don't think we're jealous of you," Rebecca said, quickly picking up why she was suddenly uncomfortable.

"She's right, I had the dress I wanted," Mary said. "But I'm alright with just one wedding."

"We celebrate in our own ways," Clara added. "And you two wish to celebrate your anniversary every five years in that way."

"It does prove that your relationship is strong," Darnley said.

"Thank you," Beckett said.

"But don't be thinking I'm about to wear dresses," Skye said, quickly picking up the meaning of Beckett's look.

"What about sequins?" Brad asked.

Laughing with the others Skye said, "I can't really get away from that, but I'd rather deal with that than dresses."

"No surprise there," Mary said under her breath.

The group laughed again as Skye playfully tried to pinch her wife's side before they turned their attention back to the meal though they didn't stop talking, mainly about their plans for the rest of their time in the city.

"You won't really be bored here," Darnley said as they were getting up from the table. "I promise you that."

"Thank you for the promise," Rebecca said with a laugh. They went out to the entrance and she asked, "Breakfast?"

"My dad and Martha are having breakfast with the babies in her room," Beckett told them.

"What about our kids?" Brennan asked.

"My mother will make it for them," Nkosi said. "And we will help her of course."

"We're sure about that by the way," Darnley told the parents who'd opened their mouths to protest he knew. "But you'll come over to the house, right?"

"To go to the museum?" David asked. When the detective nodded he smiled slightly and said, "We need to."

"Are we going to do a Minnesota goodbye?" Skye quipped then.

"We can go," Mary said with a sigh.

"I think we all want to go," Lily said.

"Not just us husbands… and Skye?" Darnley asked.

"Guys, you want to calm down right now?" Beckett said, glancing at Alexis and Louis who were looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Welcome to the adult's table," Skye said with a smile. "But we'll stop. Goodnight."

After saying that to the others, Castle wasn't surprised when the couples left quickly until they were with Darnley, Nkosi, Alexis and Louis. "Sorry if that was awkward," he said as he hugged his daughter tightly.

"It's interesting to watch," she said, smiling at him when they parted. "Have fun at the club."

"I'm sure we will," Beckett said. She then realized something and said, "You hugged me last."

"I know, does it really matter?" Alexis said, knowing she was thinking of how the girls would do that.

"I don't think so," Beckett said, saying goodnight to the two and watching them go.

"Are we the only ones going to a club?" Castle asked his wife once the pair were out of sight on the way to the elevators.

"How-" the former started to say.

"It wasn't hard to tell since you wouldn't look at us when the others were saying goodbye to us," Beckett told him with a smile. "And yes, you guys can come with us. You should since you told us about it of course."

"True," Darnley replied. "We're heading out now?"

"We need to," Castle said.

"You guys aren't staying there for long are you?" Darnley asked as they walked to the lobby.

"And you were going to?" Beckett replied quickly.

"For at the very least a drink," Nkosi said with a smile. "We will share a cab?"

"Yes," Beckett said. "Sit with us," she told her friend. "If you don't mind sitting with the driver," she added rapidly to Nkosi.

When his husband had shaken his head, Darnley sat in the back with Beckett and Castle and he said honestly to her, "I really want to see the pictures."

"I would wish that you could have gone," Beckett began. "But it makes sense your kids would want you with them."

Nodding his head Darnley replied, "The kids come first. I'm serious."

Beckett laughed softly and then said, "I know, you'll get a copy of them." She then told him about the outfits; as she hadn't shown him the pictures she'd had before that day thinking he would go to the photoshoot.

"That last one with the scarves and your eyes is going to be awesome," Darnley told her.

"Even though we saw it in color," Castle said as they were coming to a stop. "It was awesome."

Beckett shook her head in amusement as the two men smiled at her before they were getting out of the cab once her husband had paid. She looked at the front of the club and said to her friend as they were standing together, "This is it?"

"Yep, we can do some rubbing," Darnley said, not looking at her. He then chanced a glance at her and smiled widely before she playfully pushed him while he was laughing.

"Let me guess, Lily?" Beckett said.

"Sure," Darnley replied. "No, she was just asking how close a couple can get at the club. You can dance that close but nothing indecent of course."

"Probably why so many of them were staying at the hotel," Castle commented as he'd joined them by then.

"Can we go inside; we have not danced for… ages," Nkosi said. "And we want to now."

With some laughter the four got into line and they were let inside the building shortly after before they stood at the entrance to the main part of the club and they naturally split up. Going onto the dance floor together first, Castle and Beckett easily slipped into the couples and pressed close while they began to move together before he was leaning down to speak into his wife's ear.

"The music isn't annoying you is it?" Castle said.

"Just put your hand on my back," Beckett said back with a laugh. When she felt her husband doing so she bit at her lower lip before the song ended and they parted before they went over to where she could see Darnley and Nkosi at the bar. "I wasn't sure we should come over," she said, having to speak a little louder as the next song had begun. "You look so intimate."

"Tough balancing the desires and then our children," Nkosi said, watching his husband ordering two drinks.

"Patrick-" Beckett started to say.

"Don't worry," Darnley assured her. "Yours is non-alcoholic. Rick, I got you what we got; a Derby Sour, yours'll have vodka, bitters and some Earl Grey tea."

"Tea?" Castle asked in surprise though he was interested at the combination.

"They're light with it, but you get the herbal flavor," Darnley replied. "Kate, yours is a virgin Oaxaca Mix. The other version has tequila but yours is just the guava, papaya and passionfruit and it's all blended."

"Sounds great," Beckett said, watching the bartender come over with the two drinks, smiling as her husband's was in a Russian tea glass. "Cheers," she said to him.

"Cheers," Castle replied, tapping his glass against hers before they did the same with Darnley and Nkosi though they were nearly finished with their drinks. He took a sip and said, "You're right, subtle, I like it."

"Good," Darnley said. He drained the last of his Derby Sour and seeing his husband was finished told the other two, "We'll see you."

"Keep it clean," Beckett said, low though loud enough that he'd hear.

"Unlike you two," Darnley said, laughing when his friend pushed on his shoulder though he didn't really move. He wrapped his arm around his husband's shoulder and they walked out to the dance floor.

"How's yours?" Castle asked his wife, watching her sip at the pink frozen drink.

"Fruity," Beckett replied. "But very good."

"Do we need to finish?" Castle asked her.

"We do," Beckett said. "They bought the drinks for us."

Nodding Castle sipped at his drink until they were finishing, and they went together to the dance floor. He wondered where the two men who'd been with them were, but he was very shortly after distracted when his wife pressed up close to him. He was especially grateful then for the fact he could dance passably well as Beckett was moving well against him. They kept dancing until they were three songs in and he moved to murmur into her ear, "We need to go."

Beckett nodded; not needing to remind him they'd only been dancing for barely a half hour; she was getting more and more uncomfortable being so close to him and surrounded by people. And since they were so close nearly all her senses were being affected to such a degree that she couldn't really fight her arousal anymore. She took his hand, leading him to where she'd spotted her friend and Nkosi at the bar again, to get the two men as she could tell from their stance they were about ready to head home themselves. She smiled when the pair walked to them before they reached them, and they were leaving together. Letting her husband take her hand, she leaned in close to him in her relief at them finally not having to wait any longer to indulge in their intimacy, knowing he felt the same too.

* * *

"I like this a lot better," Castle said into his wife's ear.

With a smile Beckett leaned back a little to look at him and she smiled at him saying, "I would call you pervert but I'm enjoying this myself." She shivered as her husband moved his hands over her back and she said, "You can."

"Can what?" Castle asked.

"Touch my ass… or hold it," Beckett replied. "I know you wanted to do that at the club."

"I do like touching," Castle commented.

Beckett laughed and then kissed him, which turned into a passionate one rapidly as they were clutching at each other tightly. She broke off their second kiss shortly after it started with a gasp since her husband grasped her ass with one hand. "Oh… Rick you're going to…" she said when he let her go. She was a little startled when she heard the zipper on her dress a second later and she reached for his arms. "Hold on," she told him.

"What-" Castle began before his wife was kissing him. He didn't mind the interruption at all, holding onto her as tightly as he could while their tongues were rolling around each other until she pulled away. He was planning to attack her neck, but he was startled when she turned away from him. "I thought you didn't want me to," he said to her teasingly.

"Not all the way," Beckett told him firmly. She smiled when he paused and said, "A little more," knowing he was wondering what she would be doing as she turned around to face him again.

Castle was going to speak, but he was stopped by the sight of his wife taking her dress sleeves off her shoulders and pushing it down to her waist. He found himself silent since he needed to swallow hard as his mouth watered looking at her. He was expecting her to step up to him, but she instead reached out to him to open his shirt which he allowed her to do on her own.

Glancing up at her husband, Beckett did her best not to smile as he was watching her intently and she could see his eyes were nearly black in his desire. The realization of that made her work far faster until she was able to press her hands against his bare chest. She leaned into him, tempted for a moment to take him over to the bed when she pushed herself to move get on her knees.

"Kate-" Castle started to say as he tried to reach down for her. When she grabbed him by his wrists his body jerked in response to the literal glare she was giving him. "Your knees…" he started to say.

Beckett didn't say a word in response, she merely unbuttoned the fly of his trousers until they were open, and she reached for his boxers next. When she heard how he was grunting at her touch she smiled and said, "How did you handle it?"

"No fucking idea," Castle said, letting out the last in a heavy hiss as she'd managed to fish his length out and her grip was very firm. He looked down at her, a little unsure of what to do with his hands at first before she was speaking to him.

"You can hold onto my hair," Beckett told him.

"If I pull-" Castle said.

"Rick," Beckett interrupted him, her tone stern enough to get him to nod. She then turned her attention to him more fully and she gently cupped him so she could flick her tongue out to the tip of him. As she worked her tongue over him she wasn't surprised when his fingers clenched through her hair and she finally took him into her mouth. She was careful with her tongue at first but as she went down further on him she then moved it, so he could feel her doing that before she proceeded to bob her head. Though she'd wanted to go slowly she couldn't stop herself, sliding back and forth hurriedly before she reached up as well. She was hearing her husband that entire time; his reactions that were full of pleasure; and she was trying not to squirm as she was aching between her legs.

Though he'd tried to watch his wife for as long as he could Castle eventually couldn't take everything that she was making him feel and he closed his eyes to just feel. When her hand came up to him and fondled him underneath he was fighting himself literally so he wouldn't start thrusting into her mouth. A bit more time later; how much he wasn't sure; he was groaning to her, "Love I'm going to come," in warning. When she seemed to go faster, and her hand was massaging him, he let out a short yell of pleasure before he was calling her name until he was calming down. "Kate," he told her, reaching down for her and pulling her up so they could kiss.

Beckett groaned in joy at the feel of her breasts against her husband's chest before he was rubbing his tongue against hers. He did it repeatedly until she pulled away and she said, panting, "I hope… I hope I get my own turn."

"I was just going to throw you on the bed," Castle said before he was kissing at her neck. He was startled when she pushed him away and looked at her in surprise before she was leading him to the couch.

"Is it possible?" Beckett asked, her voice slightly tinged with amusement as he was looking the piece of furniture over.

"It will be," Castle said, not realizing how determined his tone of voice was. He went to the wardrobe and got a spare blanket there, draping it over the couch. "Luckily there's nothing on the end," he commented as the room had been redone since the last time they'd stayed at the hotel.

"Your knee-" Beckett began as she realized what her husband would have to do if he was going to pleasure her.

"It's alright," Castle said, pulling her against him before he paused as he recalled that she was still dressed. He turned her around, a little forcefully but not too hard, and pulled her back by her waist to him. "Sorry," he mumbled as she cried out when she hit his erection. He paused again and said, "When did you pull your dress up and get out of-" as he was against her bare skin.

"Those came off while you were getting some ice," Beckett told him teasingly before her smile on her face vanished as he cupped her ass. "And it felt more erotic pulling up my skirt."

"It is," Castle groaned against her neck before he kissed it through her hair. "But we need to get this off."

Beckett nodded and together she and her husband were able to get it off past her hips and she watched him toss it aside before he came over to her and she reached for his shirt to start undressing him. The second the last of his clothes were off she let him lay her back on the couch, reaching up to brush her fingertips against his member to his husky curse before he was taking her hand roughly to her smile.

"If you want me to pleasure you, you really need to stop," Castle told her roughly. He wasn't surprised when his wife wrapped her arms around him, pulling her to him so they could kiss. He groaned into her mouth when she grasped at his ass and he broke things off telling her, "I need to hurry."

"I did that with you," Beckett said with a smile, trying to hide her arousal that was raging by then. She gasped when her husband reached down, finding her clit and gently fingering it before he slipped them down inside of her. She couldn't help the heavily erotic groan that escaped her lips as he moved back and forth a bit and she reached down to stop him swiftly.

Castle smiled at the way she was biting at her lower lip, but he was very gentle pulling his fingers from her, about to lower himself when she stopped him and spoke in Irish.

" _Is féidir leat iad a tharraingt amach_ ," Beckett said. When her husband froze she bit at her lower lip for a moment and said, "I want to watch."

Nodding his head, Castle quickly licked off his fingers, as his wife had told him he could suck them off, and he turned his attention to her. He slid down her body, kissing from a bit under her breasts in a straight line down to the apex of her legs. "Kate," he breathed out. He'd wanted to say her name because he loved to do so; after calling her by her last name when they were intimate for so many years it made her first name more erotic. And he wanted to breathe against her swollen clit and folds which got the reaction he'd desired as she moaned before he lowered his head.

With a soft cry of pleasure, Beckett looked on while her husband's head was moving in between her legs. Though that was all she could see, she was relieved that the arm behind her afforded her the opportunity to lean back against some pillows, so she could see the rest of his body as well. She could feel herself throbbing roughly at the sight of his back as his muscles were moving also and she was suddenly filled with a longing to touch him that made her call his name.

Pulling back in surprise at the slightly pleading tone to his wife's voice, Castle was startled when she pulled him up to her and he went to her wondering what she wanted. " _Bhí mémag iarraidh blas a chur ort_ ," he told her.

Smiling briefly, as her husband said he did want to taste her, Beckett shared a kiss with her husband before she said, "I just want to feel you."

"How?" Castle asked immediately, ready to do whatever she wanted.

Brushing her lips to his; as she could tell that he would do anything; Beckett said, suddenly slightly embarrassed, "Move your arms?"

Castle would have been confused if Beckett hadn't already been squeezing her hands on his back, so he merely nodded and started to move them. He began with pushing up and down slightly, feeling his wife's hands running around his back. He didn't want to but decided that he needed to give her what she wanted, and he thrust against her though he wasn't inside of her.

"Oh! Rick… thank you!" Becket gasped as she could feel how his muscles were straining. She would have let him continue that, but he stopped suddenly, breathing hard and she told him, "You can go back."

With a nod, Castle leaned over and kissed his wife roughly before he moved down again and eagerly buried his face in between his wife's legs, licking and sucking. He started at her clit before he went lower, plunging his tongue into her before he started his stimulation of her in earnest.

Feeling all of that, Beckett tried not to thrash around so much that she ended up pushing her husband off the couch. When he reached for her hips and held them she slid her right leg up until her foot was flat on it. When he moved to nibble at the inside of her thigh she cried out and said, "Oh… please make me come soon love. I want to feel you fucking me again."

"Only if you fuck me too," Castle said as he'd pulled away from her left thigh. When she nodded rapidly in agreement to that he moved until he could pleasure her with his mouth again. He did that for a little longer before her right leg was starting to hit him, and he grunted before he doubled his efforts and brought his hand into play.

Crying out in her ecstasy, Beckett felt the intense heat of her orgasm rolling unendingly through her body and she was holding onto the couch where she could. It felt like it'd lasted for ages, but she knew; when she was conscious of the fact; that it was only a short amount of time. Breathing heavily in pleasure, she could feel her husband kissing around her legs and then her stomach before he was laying against her but keeping his upper half above her. "Are you alright?" she asked in amusement as she placed her hands on his back and felt how tense he was.

"Yeah just… aroused still," Castle replied. He kissed her and said, "Come on," before he got off the couch carefully and then helped her up, scooping her up into his arms.

"You don't need to," Beckett told him though he was already carrying her. She sat up once he'd set her on the bed and she told him with a smile, "So that was making it worth my while?"

Castle was a little confused at first before he remembered what they'd talked about the night before and he said, "Actually that wasn't."

"Really?" Beckett said interestedly as he climbed onto the bed with her. She wasn't surprised when he kissed her, and she was quick to respond, wrapping her arms around his shoulders before she moved to straddle him. When they parted she smiled as he was quickly looking down at her body and she said, "Am I deciding?"

"If you want, that still wasn't it though," Castle replied.

"Were you going give me a massage?" Beckett guessed.

"Bath, massage… anything else you wanted," Castle told her. He smiled when she grabbed him and pulled him to her before they were kissing again. That time they were slow and sensuous and when they parted he said, "Then it's just anything else you want."

"I just want you love," Beckett told him seriously before their lips were crushing each other and she reached in between them to grasp his erection. She wasn't surprised when he quickly stopped her, and she asked, "Too much?"

"Yes," Castle grudgingly admitted. "What about you?"

"Go ahead," Beckett replied. She took his hand then and made him lower it to her, raising herself up enough so he could touch her, making her gasp as it was a rush of pleasure instantly.

"Too much?" Castle asked, echoing her unintentionally.

"No, it's alright it's just… a lot," Beckett confessed, smiling slightly at him. She then said, "A little more but… gently."

"Wait, we'll get back to that, but I want to do this first," Castle told her, grabbing her and turning her so she was laying on her back. He didn't give her a chance to say anything in response, kissing her deeply before she was responding heartily to him. Tasting her tongue as soon as her lips parted for him, he reached down and ran his hand down her leg which she had raised to wrap around him.

"Oh god, Rick, just fuck me now," Beckett breathed as she arched her back so her hips raised enough to brush against her husband's.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked as he was straining not to do that that second. When she nodded he took her hand and together they moved his length so he could slide into her and they gasped at the same time at the first touch. He didn't stop but didn't go any faster until their hips had met, and he said seriously, "I love you."

"I love you too," Beckett breathed. "Go fast."

Castle was startled by her request but he couldn't find anything wrong with it so he began to thrust and as fast as he could while they were yelling and crying out in response. He kissed her when he could, but soon things became so focused on getting her off that he was shocked when they finally did and extremely close to each other, everything exceedingly pleasurable. He was panting with her as they stopped and were regaining their strength before he said, "We… why?"

Unable to help laughing briefly, Beckett caressed his hair that she'd slightly mussed before she told him, "I remembered something; I owe you a show."

"A show?" Castle asked, raising his head to look down at her.

Beckett gently brushed her lips to her husband's before she prodded him to get off her before she left the bed for the wardrobe. She reached where her new clothes were in time to hear her husband calling, "You don't have to." She smiled and called to him, "Oh I know, but I find myself looking forward to an audience of one."

Shuddering heavily Castle called to her, "Love this is why I'm always so fucking hard." He heard her walking to him and breathed out hard before he said, "You're… my shirt."

"I hope you don't mind," Beckett replied as she was wearing a shirt of his over her black skirt. She smiled when he shook his head and said, "I guess it's a weird choice but-" She couldn't finish, as her husband was throwing his arms around her and kissing her roughly again. When they stopped she cupped his face with her hands and said, "I wanted you to have something to take off."

Literally gulping as he knew what she had in mind with that Castle gasped out, "Do you think you could?"

"Am I stripping?" Beckett asked.

"No," Castle said, having to pause to try not to hyperventilate. "But I… just let me watch that."

Beckett smiled and then carefully took the shirt off, going a little slowly but not too much that she could call it a strip show. When she was left in her skirt she said, "Stay there," as her husband had moved to the end of the bed.

"Sure," Castle replied, reaching for her to bring her to him. He breathed out when she climbed on top of him, holding the skirt up enough so he could see underneath it. He reached up to rub the very tip of his index finger against her clit, making her jerk against him. Smiling he said, "You thought of something else, didn't you?"

Laughing at his figuring that out just by looking at her, Beckett climbed off him and pulled him over to the couch again. She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him, about to tell him her idea when he was suddenly telling it to her instead.

"You want me to take you from behind?" Castle asked. "Just… flip the skirt up?"

Nodding Beckett said, "I wanted to when I was putting this on and remembering earlier."

"I don't have to do that the whole time, do I?" Castle asked as he was grabbing for her waist.

"No," Beckett said with a faint smile as his grasp was tight on her. She took his kiss but didn't let it last for very long as they were standing a little awkwardly since she knew he didn't want to get anything on the skirt.

"Okay," Castle said, looking down at the fabric. "Okay," he repeated without realizing.

Biting at her lower lip for a moment, Beckett cupped his cheek before she turned and climbed onto the couch to get on her knees. She studied the arm of it and the pillows before her husband was suddenly taking the latter away. "Thank you," she replied before she jumped slightly when he was taking off her heels. "You didn't want those on?" she asked, trying to be teasing but losing that as her husband was getting on behind her.

"Don't bend over," Castle said, leaning over and brushing his lips over her shoulder. He didn't let her say anything, pulling up the skirt so he could move and enter her. He paused after getting the very tip of himself inside of her and then thrust as hard as he possibly could while his wife was nearly screaming in front of him.

"Oh… Rick, please," Beckett gasped heavily in joy when she was used to him within her. He started out fast immediately and she cried out as the friction was affecting her roughly. "I need to…" she started to say, not bothering to continue as she was leaning over on the arm already. She tried tugging at her skirt, but she couldn't get it up over her back until her husband was doing it for her. When he slapped at her ass she was calling his name as that was quick to set off a slight explosion within her, focusing between her legs. "Don't stop doing that," she told him, looking over her shoulder.

"Vixen," Castle breathed to her. He slapped her again before he reached up and ran his fingers through her hair. It was a little hard to do that moving as fast as he was, but he didn't think his wife cared as she was moaning unendingly. The short, soft cries were too much, and he pulled out though he somehow ended up sliding across her ass with his length, cursing though it was more because of the pleasurable sensation that gave him.

"I think you need to clean that," Beckett said, looking back at him again. She expected him to be hesitant, but when he jumped at the chance she felt her sex throbbing hard though it was a little unsatisfying since he was out of her. She did her best to watch him the entire time he was kissing and licking her skin but with her position it was a little hard. She gasped when she felt him slapping her ass, and she let him help her get off the couch before he was reaching for the zipper that began at the small of her back.

"I loved this but…" Castle began as he was running his hands around her skin and the waist of the skirt at first. "It's getting in the way and I can't see anything." He wasn't surprised when she didn't say anything in response to that and finally went to the zipper before he helped her step out of it. He turned to the couch and then the dresser before he hurried to the latter to set the skirt there. When he turned back to his wife he was a little surprised when she had her arms wrapped around her waist and he went to her asking, "Alright?"

Beckett didn't speak, merely threw her arms around his neck before their lips met as he was quick to move. She clutched at the back of his head at first before she finally raked her nails down his back before she grasped his ass. "I wanted a turn," she told him when he breathed out hard against her in response.

"You should have just said," Castle replied before they were kissing each other shortly after. He was relieved when she moved her hands up to his neck as it allowed him to pick her up the second they parted. "We're not moving again," he warned her as soon as she was laying back on the bed.

"Good," Beckett said simply, pulling him to her before he was settling on top of her. They were kissing deeply, and she was swift to press her tongue past his lips so she could start their heavy duel. She had no idea when they stopped but by then she was panting a little and she could feel her lips were swollen. She smiled as he touched her right leg and asked, "How?"

"Our favorite?" Castle asked, giving her the option to decline that. When she raised her leg for him he kissed the side of it before he placed her ankle on his shoulder. Taking her other leg, he was going to wrap it around his waist when she beat him to it, reaching down shortly after to take his erection into her hand. "Kate," he breathed out hard. He moved with her until he took over and slipped within her, trying to keep his eyes from rolling into the back of his head at the sensation of her arousal around him. He just managed to keep his gaze on her and he rammed himself into her as hard as he could, hoping he'd read her body language correctly, and she was giving him her reaction instantly.

"Rick!" Beckett cried out; wondering for a moment if she was screaming. But her husband was soon after thrusting and she was focusing her attention on that as he was getting deep inside of her. She held onto his arms tightly, trying to withstand the friction they were giving each other, and she moaned, "Don't stop… fucking me with… with your cock," not realizing she was digging her nails into his skin.

"I won't," Castle grunted, trying to keep up his pace and go even harder as he knew she wanted from him. "I won't stop taking your pussy until you tell me to." He wasn't surprised when his wife cried out as he went rapidly for several thrusts. Slowing down he expected her right leg on his shoulder moving and he grabbed it, putting it at his hip.

"I'm sorry," Beckett breathed out as her husband was alternating between two harsh thrusts and then gentle for another two. When he simply shook his head in response she reached up to him and brushed her fingers against his lips. She watched eagerly as he was quick to capture her first two fingers in his mouth before he suckled at them, using his tongue. "Oh… I'm going… make me come again!" she nearly screamed as the sensation was enough of a last little push for her. Her orgasm was a shock, but she still managed to find the breath to call his name until she realized he was climaxing as well.

Chanting his wife's name, Castle was dizzy, but he forced himself to remember that he needed to fulfill her request. When his wife was still below him and he'd taken the last of his pleasure he leaned down to capture her lips with his. Not moving he reached over to her with his right hand, hoping his weight would be okay on one hand. With his hand free he reached up to his wife and began to caress her side, doing that for a while before she gripped his wrist tightly.

"Just fucking touch me Rick," Beckett told him, her frustration tinging her voice. She gasped when he slipped his hand in between them and as he searched for her clit she instructed him where to go until he was at the swollen nub. Crying out and holding him by the shoulders, she allowed herself to writhe around under him, hoping he was enjoying it as well. When he thrust at one point and then swore in slight pain, she stopped him and said, "You can start now."

"Are you-" Castle started to ask. When his wife nodded; and he could see she was serious; he began to move, thrusting hard as he knew she wanted. He wanted the same and he told her he loved her as they were thrusting together since she'd begun to move. Their hips slapping together he told her, "You're so fucking beautiful Kate, you have to let me take you again."

"As many times as you want!" Beckett cried since he was focusing on her clit at that moment. She was holding onto his back and she moved her hand up to his head so she could scrape her nails gently over his scalp. His movements changed when she started to do that, and she reached with her left hand down to his ass. "When I come," she told him firmly though her voice was distorted. "You need to be there with me."

"I will, just come for me love," Castle told her firmly, grabbing her left arm. He gave her some more thrusts, hard and deliberate against her clit, and they were breaking together, calling to one another as they gave each other everything they had. He kept moving when his wife had gone limp below him once more, but he wasn't too far in slumping down on his arms and knees, breathing heavily against his wife's neck.

"Rick?" Beckett eventually said, caressing his hair. When he grunted against her she smiled and said, "Too much?"

"Just for the moment," Castle replied, raising his head and looking down at her. They stared at each other for a while until he closed the gap between them and their lips met until their tongues were doing the same. He braced himself shortly afterwards and moved to get her up so she was straddling him. They had to pause their kiss for a bit, but they were soon able to start it again and he caressed every inch of his wife's back that he could reach.

Smiling at her husband when they parted Beckett ran her fingers firmly through his hair and she told him, "Maybe we can work up to our next time."

"Definitely," Castle said before they leaned into each other at the same time and were kissing again.

* * *

"Out of all your outfits…"

"The skirt?" Beckett said, looking at her husband with a smile.

"Yep," Castle said with a smile. "Easier access."

"Well at least you're honest," Beckett said, laughing a little before she watched him pushing himself up from where he'd been resting his head on her stomach. When he lay next to her she was quick to press against his side telling him, "And I like it for that reason too."

"Will you ever wear it?" Castle said, rubbing his hand over her shoulder and upper arm.

Beckett merely smiled as he glanced down and when he looked at her in surprise she said, "I wouldn't wear it unless I really want to for something."

"Oh, so I'm just something?" Castle asked in mock annoyance.

Pretending to think that over, Beckett rolled onto her stomach and said as she looked down at her husband, "I think I can be persuaded to change my mind about that."

"Mind if it's just kissing? I'm exhausted," Castle told her honestly.

"I can see you are," Beckett said. "I'm surprised we were able to do as much as we could." She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded, and she leaned over so they could kiss. They started out slow and gentle at first before their second was a little harder and by their third they were dueling, and she found herself on her back, holding onto him as she wrapped her leg around his arm. "Hmm, we should do that tomorrow too."

Groaning Castle got off his wife and said, "I forgot that it is tomorrow."

"I didn't," Beckett said, waiting for him to lay down again before she was against his side. She gently traced her fingers over his chest and said, "But we're still on vacation, so if we can't do anything but that I wouldn't mind."

"I knew, but don't hold yourself back," Castle replied, nuzzling her forehead with his lips.

"And that goes for you too," Beckett said. She watched her husband thinking that over and smiled saying, "I think though we won't have any problems working up to anything."

"No, still out," Castle said jokingly. He smiled at her and said, "I hate when it does that."

"When we're away from a bed I'm not," Beckett replied wryly. "But for now, I think we can follow your example."

"You're sure you don't want to name it?" Castle asked.

"No, but I'll play with you later," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband kissed her roughly on the lips in response to that. After they had stopped she caressed his cheek and murmured, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle said. "I adore you."

"So do I," Beckett said. When her husband moved them again so he could kiss her she wasn't surprised, their lips crushing before he was running his hands over her. They ended up kissing for so long that they paused at the same time and she watched him pulling away. "Rick…" she began.

"We can stop," Castle told her firmly.

"No, we can't," Beckett said simply before she wrapped her legs around him as tightly as she could. "Take me lover," she told him.

"Always," Castle breathed before he kissed her hard on the lips the second he entered her.

Making love together roughly, Castle and Beckett staved their exhaustion for the time being. They focused everything they had on each other, feeling their desire in every way they could to their immense pleasure. And even during their lovemaking they knew already that no matter what they had to do they would take the chance the next night to do the same together.


	29. History To Be Found

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Loved receiving the feedback for the last chapter that I did so let me get into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really nice to read that you liked the dancing moments in the chapter since it was fun to write those!),

MsNYC (Not surprised you thought it was awkward for Alexis and Louis at dinner, lol, that's how it can be being involved with the adult conversation. Really glad that you think it's cool Alexis is going to call Jim Grandpapa. I'm not surprised that in your eyes as you said they're already family without the papers. Really happy you were glad to see Castle and Beckett enjoying one another. And very pleased that you thought it was tastefully written as usual. And happy that you thought it was great writing as usual! Nice to see you back, though I'm not surprised life got a bit busy for you, I definitely understand how that is it's why I'm just posting once a week now, it's easier. But I'm glad you're enjoying it!),

Mb (Great that you thought the photo shoot was nicely done, since I've never been to one before, lol. And I'm happy you liked that Marie and Julia were part of the photo shoot too with their mothers and Stella's clothing for kids. It was nice that you thought it was good to see Paul showing up for his daughter but also for Skye and Beckett and to see his friends as you said. And I wasn't surprised that you thought it was nice them telling everyone about Beckett adopting Alexis, or that you mentioned her sisters being so happy about it too, I thought you might have that reaction. I also wasn't surprised by you mentioning the club time and then their time afterwards, lol. And not surprised you laughed at the others just going straight to their lovemaking, lol. And great I made you laugh out loud at the mothers hoping their kids wouldn't hurt their fathers before they got to them, I figured they would say that. You're welcome for sharing the first half! Glad to see you thought the second half was a fantastic update. And great you loved that I started with Castle and Beckett talking about how the girls wanted to play with Alexis since she's going to be their full sister. I wondered what you think of her calling Jim Grandpapa so I'm happy to see that you thought it was a nice touch. Not surprised that you were laughing at the adults looking at Alexis and Louis and welcoming them to the adult table. I'm glad that you liked the club part with Darnley and Nkosi joining them there. And so pleased you thought the love scenes with Castle and Beckett was hot and sensual and you could feel the heat and lust along with desire and all-encompassing love they have for each other as they put it, that's what I aim for when I write them, lol. You're welcome for sharing the second half too!),

Emma (It's really nice to see that the story continues to make you so happy; I do want my readers to enjoy them so knowing you do is great! I'm so relieved to know that I have a great grasp of Castle and Beckett, I try my best to keep them close to how they were around the beginning of the show but also normal sometimes, lol, if that makes sense. And of course, I loved reading that you think my original characters make you feel like they were on the show and you feel like they should have been on the show, me too! You're very welcome for the last chapter!) and

Guest (It was very nice to see you thought the chapter was really interesting, great you thought the photo shoot was especially. I'm glad you mentioned the bonding; since I enjoyed writing that between them. And I was pleased that you thought Julia getting flustered trying not to stare at Skye while she was changing. You're welcome for the intimacy between Skye and Mary and thank you for the thank you because I always am unsure what readers might think of those though I do enjoy writing those scenes. But I'm not surprised you noticed the tension building before this chapter and great you were glad that was a full scene in the end, it needed to be and not just them going back to their room).

Thanks for the reviews, loved reading all of them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Dream Away_ by George Harrison, from his album _Gone Troppo_.

History To Be Found

Opening her eyes, Beckett turned her head and saw that her husband was still asleep, laying on his back. She smiled as she moved over to him, leaning over to gently kiss at his shoulder once before she pulled back as she heard a heavy sigh from him. She was watching him as he was blinking rapidly before his eyes focused and then turned to focus on her. "Morning," she said with a smile.

Breathing out heavily, Castle pulled his wife into his arms and ran his hand over her hair saying, "Morning. And thank you for that."

"You're welcome, how hungry are you?" Beckett asked, gently rubbing her index finger over his lower lip.

"Not too much," Castle said, moving to lay her on her back and kiss her deeply. He wasn't surprised when she moaned and then carefully ran her fingers through his hair. When they parted he smiled and said, "But we need to eat something don't we?"

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling as well. She then said with a sigh, "We need to get dressed."

"Not fully," Castle said, trying to stop her from sitting up. She wouldn't let him, and he then told her, "We share the food in here and then… something?"

Beckett laughed and said, "You want me to wear the skirt?"

"No, no," Castle said, reaching up and brushing some of her hair behind her shoulder. He reached down, gently running his hand over her shoulder and then arm before he shook himself as he found himself staring at her breasts. "You can stay in here; I'll close the doors to get the food."  
"And if I spill something on myself?" Beckett asked him teasingly as she watched him climbing over her to get off the bed.

"I'll lick it off," Castle replied easily as he grabbed the menu for room service. "Pick something."

"Sit with me," Beckett told him firmly before he was hurrying to do so. She then looked at the front of the menu and the breakfast items before she said, "What about Irish oatmeal and the breakfast parfait?"

"Sounds good," Castle said, leaning over and gently kissing at her neck through her hair.

"Good, call," Beckett said, fighting her arousal at his touch. She watched him going to the nightstand and the phone there before she got up herself. She squeezed his arm in passing and went into the bathroom, needing a distraction as he was very obviously aroused.

After hanging up, Castle glanced at the closed door to where his wife had gone, and he was torn for a moment, wondering if he should go in after her. But reason came to him and he went inside the wardrobe to change into his pajamas before he was stepping out as his wife was.

"I'll wait on the bed," Beckett said with a smile as she saw he was dressed with his robe on as well while he walked up to her.

"Yeah," Castle said before he leaned over and gently kissed her before he watched her get onto the bed. "We have two and a half hours," he commented, looking at his phone briefly.

"More than enough time to eat," Beckett said with a smile. "Though you might want to shave off about forty-five minutes."

"I figured," Castle replied as he knew they needed to get ready and then pick up their family to head out. He was about to lean over to kiss her when she placed her hand on his mouth and she told him, "If you're aroused?" He breathed out as he knew she was right and said, "You might have to watch me while we eat."

"I'm assuming you'll be hungry," Beckett said slightly laughingly as she could hear his stomach growling.

"Probably," Castle said, shaking his head as he heard a knock on the door. He got up in a hurry, closing the bedroom doors behind him before he went to check who was at the main door.

Waiting on the bed, Beckett could hear her husband talking with whoever was bringing the food before she looked at her own phone. She was about to reach over to it to check it when the doors opened in a rush. "That was fast," she said in amusement, watching her husband enter.

"Only two things," Castle replied easily. He brought the bowl of oatmeal over to her and then got the parfait before he shed his robe and pajamas. As he got back on the bed he said, "What?" to her stare.

"Fast," Beckett commented.

"Very," Castle replied shortly as she had. He smiled when she rolled her eyes and he leaned over to kiss her before he said, "I forgot our drink."

Beckett was about to tell him their bottles of water were on the nightstand when she saw him coming back with a glass of what she guessed was pineapple juice. "Thank you," she replied.

"I figured you'd want something citrusy," Castle told her before he was back on the bed. They started to eat and though he didn't want her to, he took the oatmeal she fed him. He was tempted; as they were finishing the parfait which she'd fed to him as well; to comment that she was practicing for Josie but watching her leaning over to set everything on the nightstand he decided it didn't need to be said. He got up hurriedly and grabbed the bowl and cups they'd had before he went back to her, closing the doors behind him.

"I'll remind you we don't have that much time," Beckett said with a smile as she watched him.

"Where are you going?" Castle asked as she was getting up.

"Brush my teeth," Beckett said simply. She was startled when her husband grabbed her, and she said, "Or not."

"Let's try this first," Castle said, kissing her as hard as he could. He felt her quickly after relaxing and responding as they held onto one another before they slowly parted a while later. He looked at her intently for a moment, intending to ask her if she still wanted to brush her teeth before she reached up and brushed her fingers against his lips as she spoke.

"We need to take advantage of the time," Beckett said.

"I know," Castle replied. "You'll fuck me, right?"

"I would but I can't really jackhammer you in," Beckett told him teasingly. When he froze she smirked and then said, "I'm serious, you're fucking me and hard."

"This… this is still making love, right?" Castle asked, getting off the bed so he could have a distraction.

"It is," Beckett said. "I've been watching you though and I can't take it anymore."

Castle nodded and went back to the bed hurriedly before he kissed her as soon as he was close enough to do that. He laid her back; though it didn't take much effort as she was already moving. He kissed her harder after they took a gasp of air, and he reached in between them, fingering her clit for a moment. He paused when he felt how wet her skin was there and he pulled away saying, "You weren't kidding."

"I told you," Beckett said unabashedly. She slid her hands down his back and grasped his ass in her hands firmly before she squeezed. "Sorry," she said with a slight laugh as his breath nearly exploded onto her shoulder. "Again, you do that more than I can," she said as he bit at her shoulder.

"Yes," Castle said simply before he moved away. "Want to fool around more or…" When she forced him down against her hard he grunted and said, "Point taken," before they moved around together before she was squeezing at his shoulders hard.

"Do you remember how I mentioned the word jackhammer?" Beckett told him, rubbing at the back of his neck and gently brushing her fingers against the edge of his hair there.

"Yes," Castle groaned out as her touch was literally intoxicating. He leaned down and kissed her hard but briefly before he carefully pulled away and moved until the tip of his erection was inside of her.

At her husband's pause, Beckett was unsure of what he was going to do as she began thinking she hadn't coached her request in a more demanding tone. But a second later he was thrusting into her so hard she could have sworn their hips were slapping together and she was letting out a heavy cry that was nearly a scream. When she was a little calmer she dug her nails slightly into his shoulders she asked, "Why aren't you…?"

Castle, watching his wife intently, didn't answer verbally and instead started to move, thrusting slowly in his wife. He was a little painstaking in his efforts at first as he could feel how smoothly he was sliding within her. He could easily see the instant she wanted to protest his pace, but it was brief as she was very shortly after turning her head to the side to let out a heavy moan. He then began to move a little faster, going incrementally until he was outright fucking her. Feeling his muscles straining he was groaning out his wife's name and swearing every so often, hoping he was conveying to her with his tone how much he was being pleasured by her.

Going through her own delight, Beckett was trying to hold onto him in any way she could. She was doing her best not to outright paw or scratch him though her nails were raking all over his back. She was dimly aware that she was digging into his skin hard when she climaxed shortly after, but she forgot her need to not make him bleed until she was sated, and he was nearly collapsed on top of her. When that thought came to mind she was then reaching for him a little frantically.

"What is it?" Castle asked in concern as he raised his head to look at her.

"You're not bleeding?" Beckett replied with a question.

"I'm fine," Castle reassured her. "You haven't done that before."

"Are you trying to get me to say you have tough skin?" Beckett asked wryly.

"Well now that you mention it…" Castle began before he felt his wife pinching his side. He laughed slightly before he got off her and then wrapped his arm around her saying, "That was very nice."

"What're you thinking?" Beckett asked, giving a mock suffering sigh.

Castle smiled at her and then leaned over, kissing her temple while he was letting his hand drift over her stomach. "I don't want the same thing, but I'd like something," he told her as he was soon cupping her mound.

"Hmm, the problem is we won't be able to do anything tonight," Beckett replied.

"W-who said?" Castle said, stammering and saying the wrong thing as she was nibbling at his ear lobe. "I mean who decided that?"

Beckett smirked at him and then sat up, reaching up to push her hair behind her shoulders though she didn't really need to. She brushed her hand over his chest before she got off the bed and went into the bathroom, hearing her husband's bare feet on the tile behind her shortly after she was on it. Inside the shower she wasn't surprised when he pushed her gently to the opposite wall and she murmured, " _Mo bhéal_?"

Trying to keep his body from shaking too hard as he shuddered at her simple question of her mouth, Castle kissed her to distract himself before he carefully ran his fingers through her hair. "We should turn on the water first," he said when they'd stopped. He turned around to do that and once it was set he tensed up fully as she was pressed against his back and reaching around him to take his length in her hands.

"Don't try to stop me," Beckett told him, speaking in between kisses to his back. "I don't get the chance to do this too often."

"No but… could we just… turn so my face isn't covered in water," Castle grunted as she was moving her hands up and down, using both at the same time. He was startled when she let him go but he moved so he was facing the wall he'd pressed her up to, putting his hands on it and waiting for her to start again. But when she didn't come up to him he turned around to look at her questioningly.

"It makes me feel like I'm arresting you," Beckett said slowly. Before her husband could speak she then said, "I know you need to, but that's just how it looks."

"We can play a fantasy," Castle said jokingly. "Except I don't drop the soap."

"Turn back around," Beckett said with a sigh, rolling her eyes. Because she was doing that, she didn't see her husband stepping up to her until his arms were around her. She gasped in surprise for a moment before she was placing her hands on his chest asking, "Did you change your mind?"

"I did, what about you though?" Castle told her, running his hands down her back slowly. When she nodded he leaned down to her and kissed her as hard as he could, slipping his tongue into her mouth. They were dueling together roughly for a while until they slowly parted and he was then lifting her up to lean her back against the wall.

Since they had even less time, Castle and Beckett were very soon after involved in another quickie before they climaxed roughly very close in time to each other. When they were calm again they stood under the water together, kissing and running their hands over each other's bodies where they could.

"So does all that mean tonight we're going straight to bed?" Castle asked as they were getting dressed next to their bed once they were out of the shower.

"I would call you pervert, but I would love to do what I was going to in the shower," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband looked at her in surprise and she explained, "Here on the bed."

"If I can do the same to you," Castle replied. "Not the same way, just pleasure you."

"I'm looking forward to that already," Beckett said. She saw the way he was studying her, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

"No, you couldn't have worn the peasant top from yesterday?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head Beckett replied, "Better I don't. Josie?"

"We should go pick her up," Castle said, knowing they needed to turn their attention to their family and friends again.

"We should," Beckett said, not surprised that he was walking over to her. She wrapped her arms around him as soon as he'd done that to her and they were soon after kissing each other deeply and sensuously. When they slowly parted she pressed her forehead to his and told him, "But we'll be back."

"Of course," Castle said with a smile before he let her go and took her hand. They walked together out of the room and though he regretted having to leave their bed behind he was looking forward to seeing their daughters to spend the day going through a museum again.

* * *

"That's it?" Julia asked in awe.

"It is," Beckett replied, wrapping her arm around her daughter.

"It's funny," Julia said. "That fabric that was just hanging there made him write our anthem."

"I know," Beckett said. "But the fact that it was fine after all the bombing that was going on…"

Julia nodded and then tore her gaze away from the huge American flag that had inspired the national anthem to look at her grandfather. "What do you think Grandpapa?" she asked him.

"It's awe inspiring," Jim said, smiling at her.

Hearing Josie cooing in her stroller, followed by Sophie letting out a brief cry, Castle said, "I guess they agree too."

Eliza giggled and said to Maddy, "The babies don't know." She giggled again when the toddler shook her head and she hugged her saying, "I hope we go to lunch soon; I'm hungry."

"Yeah," Maddy replied before she ran off towards her fathers who were with her brother.

Frowning slightly, Eliza was about to look for Dani when she was suddenly squealing as she was being picked up. She giggled at her father and kissed him on the cheek before she started to ask him about lunch when he answered her very quickly as he placed her on his shoulders.

"We're going to eat right now," Castle told her.

"Really Daddy?" Eliza asked, leaning over so she could peer at his face.

"Really," Castle said with a smile.

"Daddy," Eliza then said in surprise. "Your glasses are still on."

"I know," Castle said. "It's okay, I'm going to need them in a little bit for the menu."

"Are you okay walking right now though?" Alexis asked her father.

"Yeah," Castle said simply before he looked ahead of them at the others. "Wait, why are you walking with me?"

Alexis rolled her eyes before she said, "What did you have planned for after this museum? We've gone through a lot of it already."

"We still have the other half of the second floor," Castle pointed out. "But yeah, we've gone through it quickly." He then recalled something as they were going down the stairs to the first floor and said, "Kate told me to tell you that we're having separate family dinners tonight."

"That's fine, where are we going?" Alexis asked.

"We're just heading to the lounge," Castle said. He was a bit startled when he heard a gasp and glanced behind him at Julia and his wife; with the stroller; before he saw the former was smiling widely at him before she began to speak in a sing-song voice.

"I know what we're going to have for dinner," Julia said.

"I'm not surprised," Castle said since he knew she was aware of what the lounge offered.

"We're going to have tea?" Alexis asked.

"We are, though hopefully your grandparents won't mind it too," Castle commented.

"I don't think they will Rick," Beckett told him while they were entering the café they'd be having lunch at. She looked around and saw that though the museum was crowded there were sections of tables open that they would fit at. When they had their food at their table she said, "What do you think?" to hers and Castle's daughters.

"I'm always impressed with the items they have," Alexis said first with a smile. "But I don't think you want to ask me this time."

"It's cool," Julia said. "All the different stuff. You're happy, huh Grandpapa?"

"I am," Jim replied with a smile. "But I'm more interested in what you think," he said to Eliza.

The little girl giggled softly and then said, "I like it, it's pretty and I liked the shopping place."

"Yeah that was cool," Julia said hurriedly after finishing her bite of her shrimp po'boy to speak. "It reminded me of when we went to the museum in Rochester."

"I thought the same," Martha commented. "And good for you two to learn all about that."

"Are we gonna go shopping?" Eliza asked. "Now?"

"She means when you're older," Beckett said before she turned her attention to Josie in the stroller in between herself and Castle. Checking to make sure the baby was alright she glanced to Darnley when he touched her arm, wondering why he looked so serious then.

"Are you swimming after this museum?" Darnley murmured.

"That was our plan; the others are going to head around the city on their own tours," Beckett replied.

"Skye and Mary?" Darnley asked.

Smiling Beckett shook her head and said, "I'm not sure where they're going but they're heading out too. Did you want to join us?"

"Yes," Darnley said slowly.

"Don't worry, I realize my husband added you to our dinner party," Beckett told him, smiling still. She squeezed his arm when he thanked her and then turned her attention to Castle who'd been watching them.

"Are you angry I did?" he said.

"Did you really have to ask that?" Beckett said in amusement.

"I felt like I should," Castle said with a shrug before he laughed as she pushed his shoulder. "But I thought you might want them to join us. I was going to tell you when we finished lunch that maybe you should invite him and his family."

Nodding Beckett said, "I was going to." She glanced across the table at the girls and said, "Are you wondering?"

"Yeah, you can't really wait to tell us after dinner," Julia said teasingly.

"Funny," Castle commented, smiling at her. "And we're going to go swimming at the pool."

"Cool," Julia said, smiling at her little sister when she saw she was doing so herself. "We're just staying at the hotel?"

"Did you want to go anywhere else?" Beckett asked them.

Shaking her head Julia said, "Just checking to make sure. What about tomorrow?"

"That you're going to need to wait until after dinner to hear," Castle said, not surprised she was asking about that. "But we will do something."

Laughing Julia said, "We don't have to, but that would be nice."

"A museum?" Eliza guessed.

"We're not going to say," Beckett said simply. "Keep eating though, we have more to see here remember."

"Wait," Eliza said quickly. "Are Maddy and Keo gonna go too?"

"They will," Beckett assured her. She was expecting the little girl to say something else but when she started to eat again she glanced at her husband who was shrugging before she turned back to her food as well.

Leaving the café Brad said to Castle and Beckett, "Is there really that much?"

"There will be," the former said. "Why, you're finished?"

"No, just looking at the map it doesn't seem all that big," Brad replied.

"There's one thing we're going to first," Castle began as they were heading to the stairs. "That's big. What?" he asked in surprise when he saw his wife and friend were looking at him in confusion.

"That's a weird way to word that love," Beckett told her husband.

"And you're supposed to be a writer," Brad said, making a tsking sound with his tongue and then laughing when his friend pushed him ahead of him as he'd walked by.

"He makes an interesting point," Beckett said with a smile when Castle looked at her.

Though he wanted to comment on that, they were reaching the stairs so he was taking Eliza's hand as she'd run over to them and they started up. When they were at the top Castle led the way over to a room next to where the Star Spangled Banner was saying, "Know what this is?"

"A house," Julia said, looking absolutely baffled.

"Not just that," Castle said, speaking quickly when he saw his wife was frowning at him. "There were five families that lived here over 200 years so there's a lot of history."

"When were they there?" Eliza asked, peering at the house as they were at the entrance of the room and little bit away from it.

"From the 1750s to 1945," Castle replied.

"Too bad it wasn't one family the whole time," Alexis said, smiling at her sisters' reactions as she had already seen that room before. "But it's still really cool."

"Where was this house? Here in DC?" Julia asked.

Shaking her head Alexis said, "Near Boston."

"Oh… cool," Julia said. She thought of something and asked, "Would we go there?"

"The city? We will, I've been before and it's something I want you girls to see," Beckett told her as they started to walk around the room.

"Good, there's a lot that happens there," Julia said. "In history," she said to her little sister. She then thought of something and looked over at the stroller which was with Martha and she hurried over to her asking, "How's Josa?"

"Doing wonderful," Martha said. "Maddy asked the same thing."

Smiling Julia said, "I think she likes babies."  
"I imagine she does," Martha replied. As her granddaughter continued to walk with her she asked, "Are you bored?"

"What?" Julia asked in surprise. She realized what her grandmother had asked, and she shook her head saying, "No, I just wanted to be with Josa for a little bit." She was going to keep speaking when she was stopped by her baby sister starting to cry.

"I think she wants to be with your mother now," Martha said with a smile, taking the baby out of her carrier quickly.

"Thank you, Martha," Beckett told her, getting Josie into her arms. "Keep going, I'll be back."

"You as well Richard?" Castle's mother asked her son as he'd been right behind his wife.

"Of course," Castle said. He checked one last time to make sure that the girls were with someone; Julia with Mari and Fleur while Eliza was with Jacob, Lily and Eve. Seeing that he went out of the room, searching for where his wife would go though since Josie was still crying it didn't take him long.

Looking up as she heard footsteps nearing the slightly secluded bench where she was sitting, Beckett saw her husband was approaching. She smiled and was about to tell him that he hadn't needed to follow her when he swung something up and cut her off before he explained why he was there with her.

"You forgot this," Castle told his wife, showing her Josie's bag.

"I would have been alright," Beckett said though she was smiling at the same time.

Sitting next to her Castle pressed his lips to his wife's temple and told her, "That and I just wanted to join you."

"I honestly can't get rid of you, can I?" Beckett asked him wryly.

" _Maith… an fáinne seo_ ," Castle said jokingly, saying the word well exaggeratedly first before he added the words this ring as he lightly shook his left hand towards her. When his wife rolled her eyes again he said, "I'll stop."

"I really hope so," Beckett said, shaking her head though she was smiling again.

"What did you think of the house?" Castle asked as he watched Josie nursing after Beckett had switched her to her other breast and he hurried to help her with the blanket she was using.

"It was interesting," she finally said. Beckett smiled and said, "You're thinking of our house in Mill Valley."

Nodding Castle said, "Julia wants us to try to find it. And I would like to too, but I have this fear if we went it'd be gone."

"I've thought of that myself," Beckett said, nodding her head before she hurried to hand Josie to him since the baby had finished. When she was set she smiled at her husband and was about to tell him they should at least try to go to where it had been if it was gone when a familiar voice startled her so much she nearly jumped at the sound.

"Kate?" the man that had walked by them and paused asked.

Seeing Julia and Eliza nearing them, Beckett had to hesitate for a moment before she said, "Hello Josh. How are you?"

Looking away from the baby in Castle's arms the doctor said, "I'm good, just catching up with my wife and our kids."

"I didn't know you were married, congratulations. And for your kids too," Beckett said, hoping that what she was saying made sense at least.

"Mom?" Julia said, going over to them as she pulled her little sister by her hand though Eliza didn't really want to go.

"It's alright, this is Dr. Davidson," Beckett told the girls, smiling at them as Julia rushed the rest of the way to her. She wrapped her arm around them both; since Eliza seemed to be glued to her big sister's side; and she said, "Our… our daughters."

Castle was surprised at her hesitation and he glanced past them to see that Alexis was walking to them, smiling as she came closer.

"I better get back to my family," Josh said, looking behind him and seeing the young woman walking to them.

After saying goodbye to the doctor, Beckett turned to the girls and quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, but we're almost finished with the house," Julia said.

"Take them, we're almost finished," Castle said as he wanted to talk to his wife about the meeting; as short as it had been. He watched Alexis take Eliza, expecting Julia to follow, but when the girl remained where she was he gave her a questioning look.

"Is that the man you were dating before Dad?" Julia asked her mother.

"It was," Beckett replied. "Are you mad?"

"No just… that was weird," Julia said. "I don't think he was happy to see you Dad."

"The last time we saw each other…" Castle began to say, moving Josie to cradle the baby in his arms. "It doesn't matter. Go ahead to join your sisters," he told the girl.

"Sure," Julia said, hurrying to the room that was nearby and wondering what her parents were going to talk about since they were almost ready to continue through the museum.

"Did you know he was married?" Castle asked his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Lanie hasn't heard from him in years since he moved here. And he wasn't going to send me an invitation to his wedding; not after the way we broke up."

Though his wife had never really gone into detail about that Castle didn't ask about it, not really wanting to know about it since it had been nine years since they'd last seen the man. "Now what?" he asked her.

Smiling Beckett said, "Now I check on her, how is she?" looking at Josie in his arms.

"She's fine, likely going to fall asleep," Castle told her before he stood up with her. "Are you going to need to talk to Eliza?"

"I'll check on her," Beckett said simply before they were making their way to the room where everyone else was. As her husband took their baby over to her stroller she went to their middle daughter, putting her hand on her shoulder as she was looking at a tea table. She became startled when the little girl whirled around, hugging her as tightly as she could before she was speaking against her side.

"Do you still love Daddy?" Eliza was saying.

"Yes," Beckett said simply, pulling her back carefully. "I haven't seen Dr. Davidson for a long time."

"Do you want to?" Eliza said softly.

Beckett cupped her cheeks and said firmly, "No. I saw him right now and that was enough. Do you know what I haven't seen?"

"What?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"The rest of the museum," Beckett said. She smiled when the little girl giggled and kept her arm wrapped around her before they started to walk again.

Alexis, as they moved to the next room on that floor, watched her father as they were walking around the exhibits. After they'd gone to the room after that she squeezed Louis' arm before she walked over to her stepmother who was alone for some reason.

"Hey, are you alright?" Beckett asked, looking at the young woman from the display case with a baseball helmet from Carl Yastrzemski and other baseball items.

"I am," Alexis said. "I'm just wondering how dad is?"

"After that?" Beckett asked, nodding towards the entrance to the room. When her stepdaughter nodded she said, "He's fine, it was brief and…" Studying her stepdaughter, she asked, "Would he have had a problem during that encounter?"  
Alexis frowned slightly before she said, "Didn't Dad tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Beckett replied quickly, starting to become confused herself.

Surprised, Alexis told her about what had happened after the doctor had left the surgery room where he'd worked on Beckett. "The problem is," she said once she'd told her stepmother about the doctor blaming Castle for her being shot. "Is that Dad really took it to heart." Seeing the expression on the woman's face she said, "You didn't know?"

"He never mentioned it," Beckett said with a sigh. "I guess that's why he was so upset when I broke up with him," she then said absently to herself. "I have to talk to your dad later," she said, shaking her head. She looked over towards the others and seeing that they'd fallen behind said, "We better keep going."

While they were catching up, Alexis asked her, "Did that ever happen back then?"

"What do you mean?" Beckett asked.

"I guess just feeling guilt for something that happened to you," Alexis said after thinking for a moment.

"Is this to help me talk to him later?" Beckett said with a smile.

"More for his sake," Alexis said. "Because I'm assuming if you remember something you were fine."

"There is one thing," Beckett said. She looked ahead of them again and said, "Should I just tell you now?"

"You should, but eventually you'll have to tell the girls," Alexis replied.

"Tomorrow," Beckett said simply before she squeezed her stepdaughter's hand and said, "It happened when you were ten, so 1938."

"Jules was sixteen, Lizzy eleven and Josa eight?" Alexis then said.

"You were," Beckett said with a smile. "And not nearing that age because it was a little before Christmas. We were all decorating the tree and your dad was goofing around, a bit like he is now."

* * *

 _"Rick," Kate said, standing in the doorway leading to the dining room. "What are you doing?"_

 _"Helping the girls decorate our tree," Rick said defensively, smiling at her. "See?" he asked as he playfully tossed the ornament in his hands to Julia._

 _"We told him to stop Ma," the young woman said. "But he said he's a catcher."_

 _"You'll catch- Rick!" Kate said in annoyance as he dropped one._

 _"I wasn't going to throw it!" he protested._

 _Sighing Kate said, "Luckily we have hundreds of those," as it was a silver glass ball ornament._

 _"Grab the broom for your mother Alexandra," Rick told their third daughter. He was startled when he heard the slight hiss from his wife and he said, "Kate," when he immediately spotted the blood on her hand._

 _"It's alright," she said quickly as the girls were crying out in dismay._

 _"Here," Rick said, taking his tie off before he wrapped it around her palm where she had cut herself. He led her to the downstairs bathroom by her mother's room and then held his tie tightly to her palm. "I'm so sorry," he told her earnestly._

 _"Oh, don't worry," Kate said. "I'll be swell. I'm sure it's not even bleeding now."_

 _Very carefully, Rick took the tie off and saw she was right before he hurried to clean and bandage the cut. When he was finished he took his tie to the lean-to, discarding it with the laundry before he hurried back into the house to find his wife. "So you should help them with the tree," he told her once he was in the living room with them. He was startled when his wife turned to look at him and he saw the look on her face. He opened his mouth to tell her he was concerned about her, but she cut him off before he had the chance to do so._

 _"I'm fine Rick," Kate said. "I won't be able to cook but Julia's said she will."_

 _"I'll help you," Rick told the young woman._

 _"You'll stay with Ma, she has everything ready for a stew," Julia said with a smile before she walked over to the kitchen._

 _"Come on," Alexandra told her big sister and little sister. They turned their attention to the tree, but she was watching their parents as their mother pulled their father over to the door._

 _"Alexandra," Elizabeth hissed when their parents went out into the porch since it was covered from the rain that was falling. "You shouldn't spy."_

 _"And we have to finish the tree!" Josephine said eagerly. "That way Ma and Da will be awfully happy when they come in."_

 _"She's right," Elizabeth said when Alexandra wrinkled her nose. "Come on."_

 _When they were out on the porch Rick said, "I don't think we should-"_

 _"They're swell on their own," Kate said. "For now." She reached up to him with her uninjured right hand, cupping his cheek before she told him, "You didn't mean for this to happen." She paused as her husband was shaking his head furiously and she said with a smile, "You also cared for me when I was hurt, I can't ask for anything more from you love."_

 _"But I didn't want to hurt you," Rick told her seriously, grabbing her hand and kissing the palm tenderly._

 _"No but now you know not to roughhouse with our ornaments," Kate told him firmly. When he nodded she laughed, and they kissed one another gently before they parted, and she took his hand as they walked into their home together to return to their daughters and continue their decorating for the holidays._

* * *

"Hey," Darnley said, walking over to where Beckett was walking with Josie in her arms. "She's okay?"

"She is," Beckett replied. "You got tired of swimming?"

"A break," Darnley corrected her. "But I'm glad you guys are all enjoying the city so far."

"Does it bother you we're going out of town tomorrow?" Beckett asked. She smiled when her friend shook his head and she was about to speak when she paused.

"What?" Darnley asked, slightly uncertain seeing the look on her face.

Beckett was swift to take Josie over to her carrier where Martha was sitting at the table and she went back to Darnley, taking him by the arm and pulling him over to the windows away with the others. "I forgot we're going to a plantation tomorrow."

Shaking his head Darnley said, "That doesn't matter, I'll be alright."

Studying him Beckett said, "But there's something else to this."

"I saw one of my… former brothers," Darnley said.

"When?" Beckett asked, startled and concerned all at once.

"When I went to the restroom on my own. After I was coming back to meet you guys," Darnley answered. He sighed and said, "It was Sam, he was with his wife and kids… At least I hope that was his wife or girlfriend. Anyways he was walking out of a room and he never saw me."

"You were jumpy the rest of our time there," Beckett said. When her friend nodded she stepped to him and wrapped her arms around him to embrace him though she knew the others would see them. When they parted she said, "Let's go see our husbands," watching him closely to see how he would react.

"You have very good ideas," Darnley told her with a smile. "Thank you," he then said.

"Not a problem," Beckett said, smiling at him before they made their way over to the pool and they slipped into the water together. She watched her friend make his way to Nkosi who was helping their daughter swim. Seeing that he appeared to be much better, she turned her attention to her own husband, going under the water and then past the kids to the other end.

Watching his wife resurface Castle asked, "What was wrong?"

"You saw?" Beckett asked him as she held onto the side of the pool with him.

"I did," Castle replied.

Telling him what Darnley had said to her Beckett then said, "I don't know if he'll mention it to Trevor but…"

"I wouldn't start talking about it around everyone," Castle replied easily. He then asked, "Do you think he'd ever-"

"No," Beckett interrupted him. When her husband looked at her in surprise she said, "I knew what you'd be asking. And I really don't think he'd want anything to do with his family now. His former family."

Sighing Castle said, "I didn't really want to ask but I wondered if there was a chance he'd want to reconnect."

"The way we left things doesn't make that a possibility," Darnley said as he and Nkosi were swimming to them. When the writer said an apology he said, "Don't worry. I can imagine you'd wonder about that. But when they literally threw me out that put a very firm kibosh on that ever happening. Let's talk about some of the rest of the trip."

"Should we really do that with everyone else gone?" Beckett asked though she knew her friend was trying to change the subject. Before Darnley could say anything, she was turning over to the stairs as there was the sound of someone hurrying to get out. "Julia-" she started to say when she saw the girl.

"It's alright!" she replied before she was going to the corner of the room. "Grandmama?" Julia whispered when she was near the figure she'd seen. She looked back at the others and said softly, "Oh… because she's stronger now?"

 _It's time_ , Johanna said with a smile. _This is my only chance until she grows more into her abilities._

"She'll definitely be like me and Lizzy," Julia said absently. She looked for her little sister and saw that she was walking quickly to them with a towel around her shoulders. "Lizzy-"

"Grandmama?" Eliza asked softly when she was close enough to the figure. When it nodded she breathed out and said, "I wanna hug you."

 _I wish I could too honey_ , Johanna said. _But I'm so happy to see you._

"You're here to see Josa, huh?" Eliza asked, looking at her big sister.

 _All of you_ , Johanna replied.

"You need us to walk you over there?" Julia asked. When the figure nodded, she and her sister took each other's hands, almost marching straight to Josie who was in between Jim and Bethany at the table. Neither of them was surprised when their grandfather spoke, knowing he and everyone else had been watching them.

"What're you girls doing?" Jim asked, watching them with a frown on his face.

Shaking her head Julia said, "Can I take Josa?" She was relieved when her grandfather didn't question them again and instead took out the baby from her carrier, giving Josie to her. She watched with Eliza as their grandmother brushed her fingers near the baby's head before Josie vocalized an ah sound and started to smile.

"She loves you," Eliza whispered.

 _I love you all_ , Johanna breathed.

"Wait, 'lexis too?" Julia asked as she could feel the apparition's strength beginning to wane. She wasn't surprised when her grandmother merely breathed out the word all again and she trembled in the chill that was left.

"Here," Darnley said, rushing to Julia when he saw that her arms were beginning to shake. He took Josie and set her in the carrier before he heard Beckett crying out her oldest's name.

"I'll get-" Jim started to say, standing up as Julia nearly fell as she took a step.

"Don't!" Julia said quickly, embracing her mother as she sat at the table. "I feel stronger now. It's okay." She smiled at everyone to assure them as they all looked concerned and told them, "I'm okay, it's just Grandmama needed to use more of my energy so Josa could feel her touch a little bit."

"Kate," Darnley said, not surprised his friend wasn't saying anything. He touched her arm and said, "She wore lavender perfume," as he knew they were all smelling it, wondering what she would say to that.

"She did," Jim commented. When the others looked at him he turned his attention to his granddaughters and he asked, "You saw her?"

Getting off her mother's lap, Julia walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly telling him, "She was here, she wanted to see Josa now before she…"

"You can say sweetie," Beckett said as the girl trailed off and buried her face into her grandfather's neck.

"Are you sure?" Julia asked.

"I know you wouldn't make this up," Beckett said firmly to her.

"Okay, she said that Josa needs to grow up and grow into her abilities," Julia said. "She's going to be like us."

"I'm not surprised," Darnley said. "But what's a surprise is why now?"

"I think because we're alone here… the water," Julia said suddenly, looking at the pool. "We're alone and there was enough water for her to come here at the start."

"Are you okay?" Martha asked Eliza who was standing next to her.

Nodding her head, the little girl asked, "Can I go back swimming?"

"Go ahead," Beckett told her. She watched Darnley and Nkosi take the kids except for Julia and she motioned to her daughter to come over to her. "Are you better now?" she asked her.

"Yeah," the girl replied. She then looked at Alexis and said, "She said she loved all of us and she meant you too. I think she knows you'll be her granddaughter really soon."

"Probably," Alexis said. "That was nice of her to say."

Julia nodded and then went to her mother, hugging her tightly saying, "I wish I could do this with Grandmama," feeling Beckett embracing her back.

"I wish you could too," she said, squeezing her daughter a little harder. She pressed a kiss to the side of her head and told her, "But go with the others to swim."

Julia nodded and kissed her mother's cheek quickly before she hurried carefully over to the pool where she went down the steps, swimming to where her sisters were with Darnley and Nkosi.

"Come on love," Castle said, handing his wife her sundress.

Beckett was a little startled seeing it in his hands, but she took it saying to the others, "We need to get dinner."

"I thought we were eating at the lounge?" Joseph said in surprise as she was putting the dress on.

"It's better we stay here," Castle answered. "We have so many kids."

When the parents nodded, Beckett took her husband's hand and she murmured to him when they were far enough away from everyone, "I'm alright."

"I know but…" Castle started to say. He then stopped as his wife looked at him and he shook his head a little hard telling her, "We can talk about it later."

Though she had wanted to talk to her husband about what she and Alexis had spoken to each other about earlier, Beckett nodded finally, and she said, "Alright." Looking ahead of them she then said, "If you're wondering if I sensed her… I don't know, there was something there but what that was I don't know."

"That doesn't surprise me," Castle replied. He saw they were nearing the lounge, so he asked, "Did you smell the lotion?"

"It… yes," Beckett said with a sigh as she had noticed the scent was both her mother's perfume and her lotion she always had loved her using when dinner was over and she could spend time with her parents as a little girl. She glanced at her husband and said, "I didn't really want to tell everyone about that."

"You don't need to tell me," Castle said, squeezing her hand gently as they stopped at the entrance to the lounge. "But I was able to get the scents."

"I know," Beckett said with a nod, remembering how his sense of smell was. She then said, "But I'm not going to argue with the girls about what they saw. Or everyone else since they could smell the lavender too."

"But you'd like to focus on everything else?" Castle asked.

"On the kids," Beckett corrected him. "We still have to tell them about tomorrow," she reminded him.

"That's true," Castle said. "And they're getting hungry," he added. "We better go on." He wasn't surprised when his wife nodded, and they went together into the restaurant to head to the host so he could speak to them about their orders for dinner.

Beckett wasn't surprised when her husband had the meals heading to the pool quickly and they were following behind them. She smiled when Julia was the first to point out that their meal had arrived, and she got out of the pool first. "Take it easy," she told the girl as she helped her dry off since Castle was drying Eliza. "And you're sharing with Alexis."

"Not Lizzy?" Julia asked in surprise.

"Not this time," the young woman herself said, smiling at her. "And I promise I'll share."

Wrinkling her nose at her big sister, Julia took her towel from her mother and went over to her grandmother, "Hi Gram."

"Hello kiddo," Martha said, smiling at her. She handed her her sundress and said, "Are you having fun?" She was startled when the girl nodded and then hugged her as soon as she had her dress on.

"I love you too Gram," Julia whispered into her ear as her grandmother embraced her back.

"I know you too Julia," Martha said, rubbing her back for a moment before they parted. "And I love you. Now go and eat with your sister alright?"

Julia nodded, though she had wanted to ask her grandmother who she was going to share the tiers of food with. She went over to where Alexis was sitting and got on the chair next to her before she said, "How are we gonna split everything up?"

"I think we need to focus on our tea first," the young woman said, smiling at their parents across the table from them. Since there were four tables along the side of the pool they'd split up and she and Julia were with their parents.


	30. History To Be Found (Part 2)

"What did we get?" the Julia asked with some interest as she watched her mother pouring out some red tea.

"Rooibos," Beckett told her. "And it has no caffeine so Eliza's having the same with your grandparents."

"She's sharing with them both?" Julia asked, looking over at the other table where her sister was with their grandparents and Nkosi's parents.

"She is, there's more than enough and they'll share the desserts," Castle said.

"Daddy," Eliza called from the table though they weren't that far away. "Where are we gonna go next?"

Castle laughed and said, "Your mother can answer too." When the little girl gave him a look he smiled and said, "And that was also just like her too. We're going to Mt. Vernon tomorrow, George Washington's home."

Beckett jumped slightly when she heard coughing next to her and started to hit Julia's back gently to help her as she was choking on the tea. She could tell that it wasn't too bad, but she had her take another sip of the liquid before she was calming down.

"Are you alright Julia?" Nkosi asked.

"Y-e-e-s," the girl said slowly. "But… I learned in a book that his home is a plantation and he had… slaves," Julia said, whispering the last word miserably.

"We know," Bethany said. "But remember, there are no slaves now and the home is a museum."

Spotting Nkosi squeezing his husband's hand tightly, Julia wondered if he was really alright with that when Darnley was smiling at the South African man. She frowned and then glanced at her mother who quickly shook her head quickly. She then said, "So we can eat now?"

"Put some honey in your tea," Castle said. "Hopefully it wasn't too sour."

Julia smiled and said, "It's okay, if I put honey then I'll really like it." She glanced at her sister as she let her mother get the honey and asked, "Lizzy can drink it too?"

"It is good for babies," Joseph said. "Especially with colic; my brother used it for his second son when he had that."

"I like it too," Eliza said, smiling at the man. She giggled at his deep, rolling laugh and watched Maddy and Keo squealing together at the sound before her grandfather was giving her a sandwich. "Spam!" she said eagerly.

"Not green eggs and ham," Martha said, knowing the little girl meant that. "It's pesto kiddo, you like that."

Beckett watched with her husband as the little girl bit into the sandwich and she smiled at him when they could hear her humming in delight before they turned their attention to their food they'd split up. "It's good," she said to him after they'd taken the first bites of the crab salad sandwich.

"It is, fresh crab so good thing we're so close to the Chesapeake Bay," Castle commented. "Julia, if you're hungry after this just let us know."

"I won't eat those?" the girl asked, pointing out the other sandwiches she had on her plate since she and her big sister had divided them already.

"And there are desserts too Dad," Alexis told him. She smiled and said to Julia, "He forgets about the scones too."

"Yeah, those are the best Dad," the girl said, smiling at him. She then sighed at the taste of the egg salad sandwich and said, "What else are we gonna do?"

"We're going to visit the city of Alexandria nearby," Beckett said then. "And eat lunch there before we visit the Farmer's Market they have."

"For what?" Eliza asked.

"For dinner," Darnley said first. "We're cooking at our home but this time… I have no clue what exactly we'll be eating."

"Lily's going to cook?" Julia asked interestedly.

"She will be helping me," Bethany said. "I was shocked, I did not think she wanted to learn about South African cooking."

"She really does have a lot of different cuisines at her place," Beckett said with a smile.

"How is the restaurant viewed by the critics?" Joseph asked.

"They find the hodgepodge of cuisines eclectic," Martha answered first. "But they do enjoy the food, so they say it's a good choice for a group going for a very nice dinner."

"It should be a good meal tomorrow Mother," Nkosi said to her.

"I believe so, if we find good vegetables at the Farmer's Market," Bethany said with a nod.

Julia wasn't surprised when the tables started to talk among themselves and she was listening to the three with her. She was startled when her sister suddenly started to talk about the next night and she blurted out, "You're not going to have dinner with us?"

"Oh we will, Louis' eager to try something new from South Africa," Alexis said. "But we are going to leave a little early; we want a turn going to that club."

"They won't be alone," Castle said, smiling when the girl looked at him and Beckett. "All the other parents are going, except for us and Patrick and Trevor."

"We won't be together," Alexis said with a smile as her sister looked confused.

"Oh… cool," Julia said though she was thinking that over. She suddenly realized what bothered her and she was about to tell her parents what she'd thought of when her mother was speaking first.

"It's alright," Beckett told her, smiling when Julia looked at her with wide eyes. "I knew what you might be thinking sweetie. And don't forget that we already went to the club."

"That's true… but what will you do? Stay with us?" Julia asked.

"You guys will be asleep by then," Castle commented. "And we don't know yet; we'll have to think about that love."

"I'm sure we'll have time," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But for now, split the desserts with me."

"Sure," Castle said before he helped her cut what there was. When they were finishing the desserts and tea he said, "Are we going right back in?"

"I think we should wait for that," Beckett said, looking over at Darnley and Nkosi.

"Good idea, we'll let them play outside the pool," the former said.

"I'm going to take the girls out to the garden," Beckett said. "Not for that long but just the five of us."

"Go ahead," Castle said as his wife had looked over at him. He smiled and squeezed her hand before she got up with Julia and Eliza hurried over to them before he watched as his wife looked back at their table.

"Alexis?" Beckett said, getting the stroller.

"Oh," the young woman said as she walked after her sisters hurriedly. When they were outside she said to her stepmother, "I thought you were just going to go with them."

"I said the five of us," Beckett said, smiling at her once they'd gotten to the garden. "I thought you'd want to join us."

Nodding Alexis said, "I do… plus Gram wouldn't want to come outside when there's AC at the pool." She then turned to her stepmother and said, "But Dad?"

"He's alright with the others," Beckett said.

"Are you going to have us do this with Dad at some point?" Alexis asked.

"Probably," Beckett replied. "Go ahead," she told the young woman as she was getting Josie out of her carrier.

Alexis nodded, handing the baby to her, and then hurried over to her little sisters who were on the grass and doing cartwheels. "You don't want to play tag?" she asked them.

"You don't want to do this too?" Julia asked with a smile.

"I'll pass," Alexis replied as she looked down at her sundress. "Tag?"

"You're it first!" Eliza cried before she and Julia were taking off.

"Not in the sun!" Beckett called as she'd been watching and listening to them. She gently bounced Josie who she was cradling, and she smiled as the baby made an o sound before smiling at her. "You'll join them as soon as you can sweetie."

"Tag!" Alexis said with a laugh as she tapped Julia's shoulder. "Wait," she said to the two girls. "We should take a break, it's too humid."

"What about the pool?" Eliza asked, hurrying to her and taking her hand.

"We'll go back I'm sure, it's probably getting too hot for Josa," Alexis said, letting Julia take her hand. She looked ahead of them and smiled when she saw their father before she said, "Let's go back on our own."

"Girls-" Beckett said to the three when they walked up to her. She was a little startled when Alexis started to turn the stroller and she turned with her before she saw her husband. "An unspoken message?" she asked him when he reached her.

"Yes, and done really well," Castle commented. When she laughed he kissed her cheek and wrapped his arm around her saying, "I wonder why they figured we'd just stay out here when it's a lot nicer back inside."

"I was about to call them anyways," Beckett said. When they were inside she said, "What did you think of?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "I haven't really thought of anything specific. But would you mind staying in? I'm debating that or going out to a movie."

"I thought about them both too," Beckett said. "Also just sneaking down here to the pool but I'm sure we'll be back soon. And I don't know about going to a movie."

"Just stay in?" Castle asked. When his wife nodded he squeezed her shoulder and then said, "Want to watch something?"

"If you'd like," Beckett said slowly.

" _You want to spend time in the bedroom_ ," Castle stated, speaking in Irish as they were passing other people.

" _Yes, but not that… all night_ ," Beckett replied, hoping that she made sense.

" _No, that's fine_ ," Castle said. " _We're having fruits for dessert at the house… have our own in our room_?"

"Alright," Beckett said slightly laughingly. She then squeezed his arm and said, " _Don't mention it to them_."

" _Don't worry, I won't_ ," Castle replied. He smiled when his wife laughed and squeezed her to him before they went to the pool where they would continue swimming with their family and friends the rest of the evening.

* * *

Hearing her phone ringing, Alexis looked at it on the table next to the divan in hers and Louis' room. She sighed a bit when she saw it was her mother and she picked it up saying, "Hey Mom."

"Hello kiddo," Meredith said. "So I'm in the city and I want to see you. Come out on the train and-"

"Mom," Alexis said in slight frustration. "I'm not in New York. Remember I told you about the vacation we're taking together."

"And your job?" Meredith asked.

"It's not until the end of August, the same for Louis," Alexis replied, standing up so she could look out the window. "Why are you in the city?"

"I wanted to see you," Meredith repeated. "I guess I can come back-"

"Don't," Alexis said quickly as she suddenly recalled that the paperwork for the adoption was likely going to be finished the next month. They were all hoping it would be before the others needed to head to LA, but she shook that from her thoughts before she said, "I'll see you another time."

"Hmm… is it your father's wife?" Meredith asked.

"Mom," Alexis groaned. "Kate has nothing to do with this. Louis and I have to get settled and then start work so I can't have any distractions." She heard the door opening to the room and looked to see that it was her boyfriend before she decided on something quickly. "There's something else I need to tell you though," she began, not surprised her boyfriend, in the room with the door closed behind him, opened his mouth while his brow was furrowed watching her.

Louis wondered if he should try to stop his girlfriend from telling her mother about the adoption, but she was going ahead and he merely walked over to her quickly as Meredith on the other end began to exclaim.

Alexis rolled her eyes as her mother was insulting Beckett and she let that go on for a little; to see if she'd wear herself out; before she finally said, "Mom," as forcefully as she could. When she'd stopped speaking she told her, "This was my decision."

"But why? I'm here, I'm your mother," Meredith finally said after a long pause.

"Yes you are, but I want my sisters to be my full sisters, not just half," Alexis said. She heard her mother starting to speak and she cut her off saying angrily, "Do not say anything about Julia. She's our sister Mom."

"And what will you be calling that…" Meredith said before she let out a curse.

"Mom! Mom I'm hanging up right now okay? I didn't really want to tell you, but I thought you should know at least," Alexis said. "And I'll be calling Kate, Ma and that was also my decision. We'll talk later." When she hung up the phone she groaned heavily and tossed it over to the bed before covering her face with her hands.

"Are you alright Alexis?" Louis asked, reaching for her. When she shook her head, he wrapped his arms around her, hearing her let out a soft sob. "You stood up for your mam very well you know," he told her, rubbing her back gently. "And your mom still-"

"I know, she's just so angry at Kate," Alexis breathed out, feeling a little calmer. "Let's go." She was relieved when her boyfriend nodded, and they left the room together, hoping they wouldn't be arriving when the two didn't want any interruptions.

* * *

"Kate?" Castle called to his wife.

"Yeah?" Beckett asked, walking up to him.

"Tea is…" Castle began to say before he looked up and trailed off when he saw his wife. "Wow… I didn't think you'd brought that with you," he told her honestly as she was wearing her _salwar kameez_. "But you look amazing."

"Thank you," Beckett replied with a smile. "And I figured we'd rest at some point, so I wanted to be comfortable."

Nodding Castle handed her her mug and then got his own tea ready to go before he turned back to her. "Would you wear this tomorrow night?" he asked her as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I think I can manage that," Beckett said, briefly nodding before they kissed each other gently. She wasn't surprised when they delved into a few more before the brewer was beeping and she had to let him go. She was about to tell him that she wanted to have the tea out there in the living room when there was a knock on the door. Sharing a look with him she went first to look through the peephole before she opened the door swiftly saying, "Alexis-" when her stepdaughter was embracing her suddenly to her surprise.

"What- Did your mother call you?" Castle said, quickly realizing what might have happened. When the young woman nodded he sighed and said to Louis, "Come inside; I'll make more tea."

"Thanks," the young man said with a slight smile before he stepped inside and then closed the door. "Meredith was… a bit harsh in what she said about you Kate," Louis said, feeling he needed to tell the woman.

"That's not a surprise," Beckett said, squeezing Alexis' arm as they'd already let go of each other. "Are you sure-"

"I am," Alexis interrupted, knowing what her stepmother was going to say. She shook her head and said, "I explained eventually to her that I wanted the girls to be my full sisters, but I think it's better I don't mention the past life."

"Good idea, though I honestly don't know how she'd react to that," Castle said from the brewer. "Kate, your tea."

"Right," Beckett said.

"We should go," Alexis said when she saw the two mugs of tea on the table. "I just… I wanted to warn you now that she knows."

"It was nice of you to do that," Beckett said firmly. "And we needed to know. It's also nice to see you Louis." She smiled when the young man nodded and then asked him, "How was dinner?"

"Quite nice," Louis replied. "Erin loved the hamburgers; I think she loves that most about your food here."

Laughing with Beckett, Castle then handed him the third mug of tea before he picked up his own and he said, "Are you two ready to head out tomorrow."

"You said we're leaving at nine-thirty, right?" Alexis asked, sitting with Beckett on the couch.

"We are, better to go as soon as possible," Beckett said. "It'll be humid of course."

Nodding Alexis was about to apologize about intruding on them; noticing what her stepmother was wearing; when Beckett squeezed her arm gently.

"We're glad you came over again; I get the feeling after this you won't really be doing that," Beckett said.

"We should do that back at home," Louis suddenly said. "Not all the time," he added slightly uncomfortably.

"When you're over for dinners," Castle suggested.

"If you wouldn't mind us there," Alexis said, smiling at her boyfriend.

"I don't think we would," Beckett assured them both. "We should have coffee, that way we can talk to you without the girls for a bit."

"To distract us?" Alexis asked.

Beckett nodded and then said, "But that's if you want to do that."

"We would," Alexis replied, finishing the last of the tea she had. "Tea would be nice too."

"It is, we're going to be getting more of this back at home," Castle said, taking the mug. "We'll see you for breakfast?"

"I told you Dad," Alexis said wryly as she knew her father wasn't serious. "We'll see you in the lobby before we get the girls. She then smiled and turned to her stepmother when they were at the door. "Thank you so much," she told her as they were embracing.

"It's not a problem Alexis," Beckett said. "But if your mother talks to you about this and gets mad at you-"

"She only needs to know this was my idea," the young woman said firmly. "She can guess you were alright with it as well. I just want her to leave you alone already."

Hugging her stepdaughter quickly again, Beckett said, "Thank you. I love you Alexis."

"I love you too Kate. And you're welcome but really, I was just telling her the truth," the young woman replied with a shrug. She smiled and then went to her father, hugging him tightly before she waited for her boyfriend to say goodbye to her parents before she took his hand while they left though she was a little distracted as they went.

"I hope they were serious about that offer of tea," Louis commented when they were near their room. "Quite interesting to talk to… them. Lex?" he asked her when he saw the expression on her face.

Shaking her head, Alexis waited for him to open the door and once they were inside she told him, "I just realized that I'm already thinking of them as my parents; and this time it applies to them both."

"That's very true," Louis said after thinking that over. "But are you alright now?"

"I will be," Alexis replied, shaking herself before she smiled at him. "I need a shower."

"I do too, good thing you haven't had it yet," Louis commented. He wasn't surprised when sighed at his serious tone; as they were both aware that she had waited specifically for him; and he was quick to pull her to his side before they made their way into the bathroom swiftly.

* * *

"Okay love?" Beckett asked her husband, watching him as he was cleaning the mugs the two of them had used.

"Yeah," Castle replied. "Just worried if we ever meet up with her again…"

"I'll be fine," Beckett said. "What I'm worried about is you alone with her."  
"Oh, that's not going to happen," Castle said, drying off the two mugs and then washing his hands. When he dried them off and looked at his wife he saw the expression on her face and asked, "What?"

"No, I'm just wondering if she'd try," Beckett said.

"I think she realizes it'd be useless, especially now," Castle replied.

"Are you jealous?" Beckett asked him.

"J- oh you mean because she hugged you first," Castle said, starting in confusion before he realized what she was talking about. "No, because she needed you obviously in that moment." He saw the expression on her face and said, "Now what?"

"I'm remembering something you told me about concerning Gina; she said you never let her be a parent with you. I know she didn't say that exactly, but I know what's what she meant," Beckett replied as they were leaning against the doorjamb on either side looking at one another.

"Hey, that doll was disturbing," Castle said, straightening up and shaking his head. "Full on _Bride of Chucky_. But I didn't… it didn't feel like it was something that should happen," he said. "She was nice, sure, but I didn't trust her exactly."

"Not enough to fully be Alexis' mother," Beckett stated. When he nodded she stepped up to him and murmured, "She's going to be a mother herself," to remind him.

"I know," Castle said, as he'd heard through their publisher two months before that his second ex-wife was expecting. He held his wife tightly to him and said, "But I stand by what I said. Right this second though I want to focus on you."

"Great, I want to focus on you," Beckett said swiftly. When he pulled back to look at her she smiled and told him, "Seriously."

"Well… we have a lot of time," Castle said. "What should we do exactly?"

"Come on," Beckett said, taking his hand and pulling him to the bedroom. When they were inside she waited for him to close the door before he was stepping up to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I think I know what I want to do," she said.

"Oh?" Castle asked. When she pulled on the back of his head he leaned down enough so he could take her lips with his own. Once they were kissing he was trying to grasp her a little tighter, pulling her flush against him which made her groan and him break away. "Sorry, I'm trying to feel your skin… even though I can't get under this."

"That makes sense," Beckett said before she had him let her go. She took his hand and drew him to the couch, having him sit before she joined him and sat on his lap.

"Still can't get under it," Castle commented as he held her by her sides.

"It won't be on for very long," Beckett said simply before she kissed him. As his grip tightened on her again she fought with his tongue, feeling the way his hands were roaming over her back before one suddenly deviated.

Though he couldn't get under the _kameez_ , Castle had recalled he could enjoy the trousers that she was wearing since they were thin. Rubbing his hand over her thigh, he wasn't surprised when she began to moan, and he pulled away so he could nuzzle at her neck before he told her, "We can take everything off now. I get the feeling we should."

"You need to," Beckett told him teasingly before she got off him. After he was standing with her she wasn't surprised when he reached for the curtains and closed them in one smooth motion. "Are you that aroused?" she asked.

Castle turned immediately and looked at his wife, frowning at her question since he knew she was aware of it after sitting on his lap. But he figured she had a plan with that question, so he said, "I think so."

"Then would you want to play by yourself first?" Beckett asked. When her husband froze she said, "You first," to reiterate what she wanted as she knew he would be able to figure out what she desired.

"You're right," Castle said simply. "But I think you need to undress first at least." He was expecting his wife to give him a look, but she said nothing and instead removed her _kameez_. When she removed the trousers he reached for her, left in her bra and panties before he told her, "I think I need to help you."

"Not with everything," Beckett said, a slight smile on her face when he looked up at her in surprise. "Unless you want you want my breasts a little sooner."

Shaking his head Castle said, "You've got it." He watched her remove her bra and then reached for her panties quickly, getting them down off her hips before she took over after that. With her naked he was getting his own clothes off until he was bared to her. They took one step towards each other and started kissing, not surprised when they were doing so passionately. They were doing that for a while and when they stopped he didn't hesitate, picking her up before she was speaking to him during the steps he was taking to make it to their bed while he made sure to listen attentively to see what she desired.

"Do you think you can wait a bit?" Beckett asked him. She wasn't surprised he looked startled while he set her on the bed. She got on her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him hungrily before he was sliding his hand down her back until he was cupping her ass. "Not a clear answer," she teased him, biting at her swollen lower lip for a moment.

"You didn't give me a chance to answer," Castle replied easily. He squeezed her gently before he slapped at her lightly and said, "And I'm fine with that."

Beckett laughed softly before she brushed her lips against his and then got out of the way of him to let him climb onto the bed with her. As soon as he was she watched him push himself up to her and they were kissing again though she kept her hands away from him. When they parted she murmured close to his lips, "Didn't you say something about punishing me?"

"I didn't say that… well, I didn't mean it exactly like that," Castle said, trying to recall what he'd told her earlier that day. "I think it'll be better if we wait though."  
"Alright," Beckett said. "But-" she began before her husband was kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around him while she responded and when they stopped she said, "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, the… mood in here isn't really telling me to…" Castle began to say.

"What were you going to do exactly?" Beckett asked with a smile. When he looked away from her she turned his head back towards hers before she said, "Slap me?"

"Yeah, what else would I do?" Castle said.

"Well…" Beckett started to say before leaning over to whisper into his ear. When she finished she pulled away, watching him as he was very obviously thinking that over.

"That's… we've tried that though," Castle replied. "I can only slap that so hard."

"That?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Alright; your pussy," Castle said quickly. "I didn't want to do that. But really, tomorrow we'll have more time I think."

Nodding Beckett leaned over and kissed him gently before she pulled away to say, "But that won't keep you from doing some of that tonight." She had to laugh out loud at the sudden realization on his face and she was tempted to ask him what he'd suddenly thought of when he was reaching to her. She let him clutch at her while she took the time to gently rake her nails over his scalp and when he moved to her neck she sighed and said, "You're not ready?"

"Oh, I am," Castle said before he was reaching to her ass to cup it in both hands. He squeezed a few times before he said, "I'm having a hard time letting you go."

"Let me help," Beckett said simply, slipping out of his arms and reaching down to fondle his erection slightly. She smiled when he hissed and told him firmly, "Touch yourself or I'll do it."

Castle found he didn't really have a comeback to that, so he moved to lay down as she got on her knees next to him. He grasped himself and then said, "Are you directing me?" He was a little startled when she merely shook her head but guessed she just wanted him to start so he did. He went slowly at first, moving his hand up to the tip before he was going down. His rhythm sped up with each pass after that and he reached over to his wife as he was being affected more and more, wanting her close to him. He wanted to kiss her, but he soon felt her hand on his chest and he opened his eyes, looking up at her questioningly as she smiled down at him.

"Mind if I help?" Beckett asked.

"No," Castle was sure he wheezed out. But he was distracted when she reached under his fist and squeezed gently making him swear heavily in his pleasure before he moved his hand again. "K-Kate," he stammered as she waited for him to reach the tip of his length before she squeezed and rubbed at him. "When I come…"

"Don't worry," Beckett said simply, smiling at him. She helped a little longer, unable to help how much her sex was aching at the sight of him working over himself and she focused on assisting him until she knew that he was closer.

"Love," Castle groaned when his wife's mouth was suddenly descending on him. He placed his hand on the back of her head and just watched her though that became more difficult to do as time went on. He hoped it had been a while as he could feel his orgasm creeping up on him. He had a second to say her name and was relieved when he did before he was climaxing. Losing touch with himself he had no idea if she was alright but when he came back to himself he looked at her and said, "Kate?"

"I'm fine," Beckett replied, laying on top of him. She wasn't surprised when he kissed her hard and they were dueling each other roughly before they parted to breathe. She was going to speak again when she gasped as he flipped her onto her back and she said, "What?" as he was watching her.

"I'd like the same," Castle said seriously.

"I did too," Beckett said, cupping his cheek. She then settled back and reached down to her sex, rubbing at her clit gently at first and crying out as she found herself hypersensitive. She reached for her husband moaning, "Oh… fuck Rick please touch me," hoping he would at least help her as she knew she wasn't very far from her end.

Castle swiftly lay on his side and he quickly reached down to her sex, joining her in rubbing against the swollen nub. He was a little surprised when she breathed out an apology but recalled he'd intended to watch her. "I prefer to touch," he told her as his free hand was running along her stomach.

"I'm so glad you do," Beckett breathed out heavily to him. She let them rub at her clit for a little longer before she pushed his fingers down to her entrance. Letting him take over, she gasped as he was quick to slip the digits inside of her and was soon after moving them. She started to touch her clit again shortly after he started, and she bit at her lower lip to try and hold back at her moans. But her husband was reaching up to her and gently rubbing at her lower lip before she let go of it and she took his thumb into her mouth to suck at it. It was too much to handle and she was gasping his name before she was crying out to him as loudly as she could while her orgasm took her over.

Castle could feel his arousal throbbing at the way she was moving against him and calling his name, but he did his best to ignore it before she was calming down and he kissed at her temple when she stopped. "Alright?" he asked her, moving his hand away from her carefully before he realized her hand at her clit was still moving.

"Yes," Beckett sighed. "Here," she told him, making him touch her there again. As he began to caress her she whispered to him, "Oh Rick… I want us to make love."

"I almost thought you-" Castle began before he was hissing as she was grasping his member. When she ran her hand up and down it he instantly turned so he was above her, holding her wrists down loosely on the bed.

"Now you're punishing me," Beckett told him, biting at her lower lip momentarily as she waited eagerly to see what he would do with her obvious permission.

Castle recalled what he'd thought of suddenly and he made her turn around, so she was laying on her stomach. He gently stroked her ass before he looked up at her to see she had raised herself up on her arms and was looking back at him. He leaned over, seeing he had her attention, and gently brushed his lips over the small of her back, feeling her skin react to him before he moved lower.

Gasping in pleasure, Beckett tried not to let her body move too much to stop him from what he was doing but it was difficult. She moaned his name as he moved around on her until his fingers were suddenly reaching between her legs. "Oh… fuck," she gasped when his fingers slid inside her, moving back towards him, suddenly wanting him to find her g-spot.

"Not like that," Castle said suddenly, pulling away. "At least not again." He took a moment to slap her ass and was relieved when she cried out in joy before he turned her onto her back again. He smiled as they looked at each other and said, "So you're ready."

"Yes," Beckett said with a slight laugh before she pulled him down to her by grabbing both his arms.

"So rough," Castle commented as their noses were pressed together.

"I want that," Beckett breathed. "Both?" She gasped as her husband sank into her and didn't stop until their hips had met. "Oh…" she moaned when he was moving. She wasn't surprised when he was moving slowly but she didn't enjoy it any less as she was kissing him, their tongues fighting back and forth in their mouths for a while before they slowly parted and she arched her neck back as he was nibbling at her pulse.

"Kate… fucking goddess," Castle told her huskily once he could pull himself away from her enough to speak. When she raked her nails over his back he jerked against her and groaned as she cried out. He moved a little faster at that, watching her closely to see what she would do or say. When her head turned on her pillow he was spurred to slow down. The ease in friction was slight but what there was left was enough for him to get back quickly to thrusting harder. But he proceeded to go slowly, moving down at an angle to try and get to her clit. He managed it but only allowed himself to thrust twice before he went rapidly for four thrusts.

"Oh… Rick don't, please," Beckett gasped. She knew her husband was looking at her questioningly and she was relieved when he stopped though she hated feeling nothing but her throbbing. "Leave that for tomorrow just… fuck me," she begged him.

Castle decided he could show her his answer and moved as hard as he could, turning it into a quickie that they both immediately started to enjoy.

When she climaxed, Beckett had her arms and legs wrapped around her husband and she was crying out his name over and over before she could hear his name on her lips. When they finally stopped she smiled and said, "I needed more."

"I teased you too much," Castle said, a smile on his face as well. He pulled away from her neck so he could look down at her and said, "But we have tomorrow."

"Of course," Beckett said in what she hoped he knew was a promise. She sighed when he pulled away from her and she moved to lay against his side once he was settled. They were quiet for a while and she reached up to lay her hand on his chest before she was about to ask him to tell her something about their past life when he was inquiring something of her first.

"You want a memory, don't you?" Castle asked, brushing his lips to his wife's forehead.

"That would be nice," Beckett said, not surprised he'd guessed that.

Laying back fully, Castle thought for a moment before he said, "Actually, it just came to me but I'm not sure if you want to hear."

"Why wouldn't I?" Beckett asked, raising her head to look at him.

"It's the night we conceived Alexandra," Castle informed her.

"Oh…" Beckett said. She pushed herself up then and reached for the bed sheet to cover them both before she told her husband, "Go ahead."

With her settled against his side again Castle said, "It was January… the fifth. So she was a little early in October. And it was winter."

"I'm assuming that has to do with it?" Beckett said with a smile.

"It does but we were going up to our room first thing," Castle told her. He glanced down at her and seeing she was studying him closely he laughed and said, "It was cold that night and we'd checked the girls, but everyone was alright except for us. And once we were in our room you brought something up that we talked about for a little." When he saw she was smiling he brushed his lips to hers before he continued as she pressed against him a little closer.

* * *

 _"It's so cold love," Rick said as he closed and locked the door behind them. "Should we have a bath?"_

 _Shaking her head Kate sat on the edge of the bed and patted next to her saying, "We'll be warm soon I'm sure."_

 _Smiling Rick went over to her and once he was sitting next to her said, "Is anything wrong?"_

 _"No, I wonder if you'd like to stop wearing…" Kate started to say before she trailed off and then patted his groin._

 _Jumping at her touch Rick took a moment before he said, "You'd want another baby?"_

 _"Would you?" Kate said, slightly worried he didn't. When he suddenly kissed her, she was so surprised it took her a moment to respond but once she did she realized what he was telling her. Pulling away she smiled and said, "We could."_

 _"Of course… we likely will," Rick replied as he glanced at her stomach. He smiled and said, "Should we start now?"_

 _"We should," Kate hurriedly told him. She smiled as he ran his hand around her side and she said, "Are you still cold?"_

 _"Very, would you like me to help you?" Rick asked her with a smile._

* * *

"I didn't really have pick-up lines back then," Castle told his wife.

Laughing slightly Beckett said, "No but you weren't trying to pick me up like you were now." She paused for a moment and said, "Plus that wasn't really a big thing then and my ma wouldn't have let us learn that kind of talk." She realized what she'd said and sighed before she said, "Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to about what you said," Castle told her. "But I'll ask if you want me to keep going."

"Go ahead," Beckett replied quickly.

"So we undressed, all our clothes which were way too many now that I'm thinking about it," Castle commented. When his wife laughed softly he pressed his lips to her temple and then said, "We did a little of what we did tonight when we got on the bed," before he explained it to her in more detail.

* * *

 _With her husband pressing her down into their bed a little harder, Kate squeezed his shoulders and when he pulled away she said, "Is that all you're going to do?"_

 _"Is there more?" Rick asked, affecting an innocent tone._

 _"Oh no," Kate breathed. "But there's more I want."_

 _Rick knew instinctively what his wife was talking about and he pulled away, kissing around her neck before he reached up to her and began to fondle her right breast gently. When she clutched at his shoulder he moved away and then glanced up at her, seeing the look on her face. He moved to lay on her though he kept his weight off her before they moved to slip him inside of her. Groaning as she cried out, he took her lips in a passionate kiss, moving against her shortly after that to her cry of joy as he proceeded to make love to her._

* * *

"I think we kissed a little longer tonight than we did that night," Beckett commented as her husband stopped there. She brushed her lips against his cheek before telling him, "But it doesn't matter." She smiled when he looked at her and said, "We kept warm which I think does."

"We didn't conceive her then," Castle told her, rubbing her shoulder.

"No, that was the second time," Beckett said. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder and told him, "But it was just as enjoyable."

"Definitely," Castle replied. He smiled at her and said, "Remember what we talked about after?"

"I do, but tell me," Beckett insisted. She could almost feel the smile on her husband's face when he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she tilted it up before they were kissing. It was sensuous but brief before she was laying against him again, listening to him speak about their past life.

* * *

 _"I hope we'll have another little one with us," Rick told his wife as they lay close together under the bed sheet and blankets. He gently rubbed his hand over his wife's stomach and said, "Maybe we will."_

 _Kate smiled and said, "I'm aware you want to continue but… Julia wore me out."_

 _"And me," Rick said, kissing her forehead. "Would you be alright with another baby so soon after Elizabeth?"_

 _"Is the fact we were together twice not an answer?" Kate said as she tilted her head up to look at him._

 _Pretending to think that over Rick nodded and said, "I think it will do." He smiled when she lightly pinched his side before he took her hand and brought it up to his lips to press a few kisses to the back of it. When he let her go he turned onto his side before he kissed her deeply and held her the best he could until they were parting some time later. "Kate…" he breathed lovingly to her. "There will be more."_

 _"Of course," Kate replied simply before they were kissing one another frantically again._

* * *

"Were we together after that?" Beckett asked as her husband stopped.

"No," Castle replied. "Amazingly we managed to control ourselves but by then you were pregnant again." He then realized something and asked her, "How long were we trying?"

"I don't think I knew until I was about three months along," Beckett said, that coming to her suddenly. "We were doing that for a while."

"And enjoying it too," Castle said.

"I think that was implied," Beckett said before she reached across his chest and held onto his other shoulder. She rubbed at it gently saying, "But even with protection back on we were having fun."

"What's on your mind?" Castle asked, looking at his wife as he was reaching for her hand. When she raised it, he entwined their fingers before he said, "From back then."

"No, tonight," Beckett said, tilting her head so she could look at him. "We mentioned just fooling around didn't we?"

Chuckling Castle said, "Do we really always stick to plans?"

"No, I'm just wondering why we seem to…" Beckett began before she paused. "I would say snap but that doesn't really work."

"It's close enough," Castle told his wife. "I don't know. I get the feeling our arousal just gets out of control."

"Probably," Beckett said. She then smiled at him and kissed his jaw before telling him, "I enjoy it just so you know."

"I really hope you do since I get the feeling that's not going to stop," Castle said. He then rubbed his fingers up and down her spine before he told her, "Do you still want to do something-"

"Who… it's Patrick," Beckett said as her phone had set off its text alert sound. She reached for it and said, "They should be okay; he'd call me if it was serious."

"What'd he say?" Castle asked, going to her so he could kiss at the back of her shoulder.

Smiling back at him Beckett said, "If you want me to read the message you need to stop."

"Okay," Castle replied though he didn't let go of her arm. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said, "Well?"

" _How'd you like to go to Busch Gardens, got a discount on a pack of tickets_ ," Beckett began, unable to help pressing back against him. " _But it has to be tomorrow, parents-in-law are fine with and so is rest of family. Should I text everyone else. What about club?_ "

"Oh… man I would love to go," Castle said. "But Mt. Vernon?"

"I think we can save that for when we come back," Beckett replied, looking back at him again. "And the day after tomorrow they can go to the clubs," she commented. "The kids should decide."

"And we know what they would pick already," Castle said, not surprised she was forwarding the message to the other parents. He wasn't either when messages came to his wife almost instantly and he kissed the top of her shoulder before he said, "It's unanimous… Alexis?"

"We'll tell them in the morning," Beckett said simply. "And I need to text Patrick back because I need to know what time we leave. Rick?" When her husband didn't respond she said a little louder, "Rick!" No response and she was grabbing his hand tightly saying, "Castle."

"Damn it," he groaned, burying his face into her pillow. "I hate when you call me that when we're like this now."

"I know, but you weren't really stopping," Beckett replied, texting her friend rapidly. When he answered her back she sighed and said, "We need to get to sleep; it takes almost two and a half hours to get there." She couldn't help smiling when her husband groaned, and she told him, "We might need to hold off on anything until the next night ourselves."

"If we're going to an amusement park again… yes," Castle replied. "But I've always wanted to go to this one." He watched her set her phone on her nightstand and he asked, "We are going right?"

"We are," Beckett said, turning onto her other side. "What do they have there?"

"Better… oh, fine," Castle said in mock annoyance as he grabbed his phone on his nightstand. When she slapped at his ass he jumped and said, "I thought we had to go to sleep."

"We do, I just want you to check if they have rides for younger kids," Beckett said. "They have roller coasters, right?"

"Other rides too I think," Castle said absently as he was on his phone. When he was at the amusement park's site he smiled and said, "A lot of rides for younger kids."

Seeing all the rides themed to Sesame Street Beckett said, "She'll love that. Okay, let's get to bed love."

"You don't want to see our rides?" Castle asked her.

Beckett hesitated for a moment before she nodded and took his phone, seeing he'd gone to all the rides. She considered them and said, "They should enjoy it."

"And you?" Castle asked, nuzzling her temple with his lips.

"I will too, we're riding the roller coasters together at least once," Beckett told him.

"How? It's summer Kate," Castle reminded her.

"The tickets? They include the ride pass system the park just started this summer," Beckett answered. "We need to thank Trevor for that."

"Work?" Castle asked. When his wife nodded he took his phone and quickly put it away before he was kissing his wife hungrily. He didn't let it last for long as he knew they really needed to get some rest, but he indulged them both in a second one before he was pulling away and saying with a smile, "I love you Kate."

"I love you too Rick," Beckett told him before they brushed their lips together. After they said goodnight to one another they turned off the lights and pressed close beneath the sheet. She closed her eyes but allowed herself to enjoy his hold for a bit longer before she fell asleep, taking her rest for the next day while she still enjoyed; as she knew he was while he would sleep; the remnants of pleasure after their intimacy that night.


	31. Was A Great Big World

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs _I Want to Break Free_ by John Deacon, from the Queen album _The Works_ ; and _Get Back_ by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album _Let It Be_.

A/N #2: I was very happy to see the feedback for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Glad to see you liked how Meredith was in the chapter for a little bit, honestly that's all I could stand to write her, lol but yeah glad you liked that!) and

Mb (Happy to read that you thought the chapter was a really good update. And really pleased you loved the way the chapter started with Beckett waking up before Castle and the way she woke him up. So glad you thought the banter and innuendo they had was so them. Not surprised you mentioned the stages they took before they got to their love scene and I'm happy you thought it was hot, heavy and sensual since that was my aim. Definitely laughed at the way you said it was just a normal day for them, lol, but you make a good point! Not surprised you mentioned the families all having fun together at the museum. I was wondering about the reaction the encounter with Josh would get and not surprised you saw it was strained, it's what I meant it to seem like. Great you loved the girls' reaction to Josh and how they're protective of their parents. I wasn't surprised that you mentioned being glad Alexis was there, since you said she was as protective as the girls. And I also wasn't surprised that you were surprised along with Alexis that Beckett didn't know what had happened between Castle and Josh. For me I didn't have them talk about that as I saw that kind of being lost with everything else that occurred around them arguing. With Darnley's situation with his family I'm not surprised you feel badly for him, I figured readers would. Really happy that you're pleased that Johanna's spirit came to see Josie and the girls helped her with that. I'm not surprised you're happy that Beckett is more open and accepting about the gifts they have. And yeah, I've mentioned Beckett has the same gift but she's suppressing it still since I see her doing that definitely. I'm really glad that you mentioned Julia going to Martha, and that you loved that, since I felt she would feel like her other grandmother needed to know it after Johanna visited them. Happy you thought the first half was a fantastic update. You're welcome for sharing for it as well! So happy you thought the second half was a fantastic update! I'm glad you thought it was a wonderful time with their family and friends. And great you thought their tea time and dessert was lovely, I was hoping it would be! Great I could make you think the second half would be a filler since I surprised you with Meredith. I'm not surprised you thought her appearance was memorable, though it was short. Glad that you mentioned the conversation that Alexis had with her mother, and her defending Beckett. I wasn't surprised either about you wondering what Meredith said about Julia, if that could be a set up or if she's just that cruel… I can tell you now she's just that cruel. I'm happy to see you loved how Alexis and Louis went to Castle and Beckett to tell them about the conversation and really glad you mentioned how comfortable and right it feels to all of them. I wasn't surprised you mentioned how Castle and Beckett are Alexis' parents. I was pleased you enjoyed the love scene and that I literally turned up the heat with them. Nice to read that you loved the flashbacks in the chapter and that you can see Castle and Beckett at anytime are sensual and hot. Oh, and I'm really glad that you loved the memory in the second half was how Alexis was conceived/planned. Really hope I wrote Busch Gardens well, lol, since I know there are people that love the park. But great you're looking forward to them going there! You're welcome for the second half!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _American Girl_ by Tom Petty, from the Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers' self-titled album.

Was A Great Big World

"This looks just like England," Julia said turning around to look at the buildings they were walking by at the theme park.

"And the park is like this all the way through," Castle said, walking with her, Eliza and his wife.

"You mean different places?" the little girl asked from her father's shoulders.

"Exactly," Castle replied.

"Now we're moving into Scotland," Beckett commented. She heard the screams ahead of them and smiled saying, "And our first ride."

Seeing the yellow track ahead of them Julia smiled widely when she saw the interlocking loops and she asked, "What's it called?"

"You couldn't guess?" Alexis said jokingly as she joined them. "Loch Ness Monster."

"Oh… I didn't think it with the yellow," Julia said. She thought of something and looked at her mother asking, "I can go on this right?"

"Do you want to? We didn't let you go on the rock and roll roller coaster at Hollywood Studios," Beckett asked her, putting her hand on her shoulder.

Shaking her head Julia said, "You said that one was in the dark, this one is outside. So can I go on it? Please?"

"Yes," Beckett replied with a smile.

"What about me Mommy?" Eliza asked after her father had set her down on the ground.

"Stay with the babies? And I think Fleur and the twins," Beckett said, looking at Skye who was walking over with Ivy.

"They're a bit short," the investigator replied. "But they want to see as much of the ride as they can. Mary will walk them around if you want to go with them."

"You can," Castle said when the little girl had immediately looked between him and Beckett. "Have fun."

"You too," Eliza said before she went to where Jim and Martha were settling on a bench within view of the roller coasters loops with the babies, toddlers and Nkosi's parents.

"We'll come back to you once we finish," Darnley said to the four sitting on the bench and the other parents. "Since we'll move on to… I think it's Italy since we're having lunch there right?"

"Are we having lunch that early?" Louis asked in surprise.

"There are rides there; a water ride first," Nkosi said. He smiled when Eliza, Fleur and the younger McDouglas twins gasped and told them, "I do not know if you will be able to join us but there will be rides for you; for all of us if you want to share."

"Listen to Mary sweetie," Beckett said to the little girl before they went over to the exit of the roller coaster they'd watched going while they talked. She wasn't surprised when Julia slipped her hand into hers and she smiled down at her before they stopped at the end of their line a little way from the loading station.

"What're the other lands?" the girl asked.

"You'll find out," Beckett said, squeezing her hand gently. "And I think you mean countries."

Julia smiled and then asked, "I can ride with you right?"

"Of course," Beckett replied. "I was going to insist."

"When can I ride with Mari?" Julia asked as they neared the front.

"The water rides?" Castle suggested.

"Cool," Julia said with a wide smile. She then looked at the pairs they were in and said, "Are we gonna sit in the front."

"No, Dad and I will," Alexis said. "He wants to scream like a girl," she whispered exaggeratedly before they were at the very front.

"Oh… I'm sure I will," Castle said jokingly, smiling when the two laughed together. He looked at his wife and told her, "Good luck."

"You too," Beckett said with a smile herself before her husband was telling the worker how many of them there were. They took up nearly the entire train except for the last three rows and she smiled behind her at her cousin who was with Louis. "I hope you guys are alright with this," she said, smiling.

"I'm sure we will be," Brennan replied before they were starting to leave the station and they laughed as they could hear Skye whistling loudly behind them with David.

Julia laughed with her mother as they went down a very small incline right out of the structure where they'd gotten onto the train. She looked to their right at the lift hill and said, "Mom that looks really tall."

"Are you scared?" Beckett asked her in concern.

"No… I saw some of the ride already," Julia told her firmly. "But I hope I don't cry."

"We're with you," Castle said, glancing back at her. "And I mean a lot of us are with you, almost the whole train."

Laughing Julia was about to thank him for that when she saw the roller coaster's car ahead of them passing by. "Oh… what about that one?" she breathed out in awe at the way the car was.

"We need to see the height requirement," Beckett said a little loudly as they'd reached the hill and the chain was taking them up. It took some time and she wondered if it was her imagination as it felt like it was going very slowly. But finally they were reaching the top and she was relieved there wasn't a massive drop right there though they were going down a little one. She laughed when Julia next to her cried out a bit before they were turning to the right and had come to the big drop she'd seen, and she hoped her daughter would be alright as they started down it.

Screaming, Julia saw the river below them, but it was fast as they were swooping up and curving rapidly to the left. She was holding onto the over the shoulder restraint on her tightly until they came to a drop and she screamed again when she saw that it was leading them to the first loop. That went quickly though her hair ended up covering her face and continued to as they went up over a hump and banked towards the right. Going up a short incline she gasped when they banked down and left into a tunnel, screaming when they started to spin. She became a little dizzy but finally they stopped and left the dark tunnel before they came out to another lift hill.

"Are you okay?" Alexis asked, looking back with her father in the time they had.

"Yeah, I was surprised," Julia replied, smiling at them. "But it's fun."

Able to tell that her daughter was telling her the truth, Beckett turned to look ahead of them as they were nearly to the top of the hill. Going down the slight drop there they were banking to the right before heading down a bigger drop towards the river. She had been crying out during the more thrilling parts of the ride, but she was laughing briefly as her husband had whooped with joy on that drop. When they went up into the second loop she screamed with Julia before they came up and they then reached the loading station. She applauded with the others on the train before they stopped and could get out, walking out of the exit.

"Alright love?" Castle asked his wife as he went to her and took her hand.

"I am, I've ridden more thrilling ones," Beckett said. She smiled at Darnley when he touched her elbow and said, "You said you've been here before?"

"I have," the detective said, nodding his head. He then smiled and told her, "But not for years so I forgot about the loops on this one. Luckily all the kids are alright."

"And my husband," Beckett commented, pretending to be serious.

"Hey, I will point out I did not scream like a girl," Castle said. "But we need to make sure the others get their rides."

"They will, after lunch," Beckett said reassuringly to him. "I just wish they had the height requirements on the map."

"We'll find out soon enough," Darnley promised as they came out of the ride and walked to where the rest of their group was. When they were all back together he said, "Now we can head over to Italy."

"What?" Skye said when the detective looked at her.

"Thought you'd… say something in Italian or whatever," Darnley said with a mock suffering sigh.

Skye sighed herself, making it sound annoyed, before she said, " _Pazzo, nessuno lo sa qui_."

"Do I really want to ask what she said?" Darnley asked as he glanced at Mary.

"You forgot about me _grá_ ," the investigator's wife said.

"Made it sound better," Skye said with a grin. "I said no one knows that here," she explained.

"Did you curse at my husband with that first word?" Nkosi asked.

"Fool," Skye explained, smiling at him.

"Oh… I guess that applies there," Darnley said.

Laughing with the others, Beckett watched her husband look down at Josie; since he was pushing the stroller as they made their way through Scotland and then past the Sesame Street area. "We're going to go there after lunch sweetie," she said to Eliza when she turned back from where she was walking with her grandparents.

"Are you gonna go on this ride Grandpapa?" Eliza asked.

"I might," Jim said. "But I need to see if there will be enough of us to watch the babies."

"There will be," Eliza said eagerly before she heard water and looked to see a water ride before they stopped to watch the drop. She wasn't surprised when her family turned to her and she was about to tell them that she wanted to go when her big sister was hurrying to her, taking her hand before she spoke eagerly.

"It's tall but it'll be a lot of fun," Julia was saying. She jumped a little when her sister covered her mouth with her hand and took it away from her asking, "What is it?"

"I wanna go," Eliza said before she was looking at their parents.

"You can go, we just need to find some shade-" Beckett started to say first.

"We'll stay here," Martha said, nodding to the railing where they were standing next to the drop.

"You're not afraid of getting wet?" Rebecca asked them. She watched with the others as a boat came down the drop. "Okay, have fun," she told Martha, Bethany and Joseph with a smile as the water didn't reach them.

"Julia," Beckett called to her daughter as they were going through the exit. When she joined her, Castle and Eliza she told her, "We'll ride together."

"Can we sit in the front?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Castle said. He looked at the others and said, "Hopefully we fit in a boat."

"It's alright if we don't," Skye said.

They were reaching the end of their line and were boarding the boat, taking up a boat; though the McDouglases went on the boat behind them; before they were going up the lift hill that was immediately after the loading platform.

"I hope they like the front," Julia said, glancing behind them though they couldn't see the other one.

"They will," Beckett said, touching her shoulder so she'd face forward. The girls were sitting in between her and Castle and she told her husband, "Hopefully we have another chance for this."

Castle was nodding, just before Eliza said, "This hill is really tall."

"We have to go that high 'cause of the drop," Julia said. She thought of something and asked her mother, "What about Mary?"

"This is the height of Splash Mountain you know," Castle commented. "It's why we're letting your sister go."

"But it's not the same," Beckett said quickly since they were nearing the top.

"I don't think it matters love," Castle said in amusement as their daughters were sharing a look and shrugging.

"I guess not," Beckett said laughingly before they'd gotten fully to the top. She wasn't surprised when the girls were crying out at the slight dip they went down on. When Julia soon gasped at the scenery they were going through; of Pompeii; she wrapped her arm around her and said, "It's not scary?"

"No way, this is cool!" Mari said a couple rows behind them.

Everyone in the boat started to laugh, even Eliza though the falling ruin to their right made her grab onto her father tightly. "Is there gonna be a quake?" she whispered.

"If there is I think the drop is the escape," Castle managed to say before the kids were crying out in some way at the sudden explosion of flames to the left. He checked on the little girl, seeing she appeared to be alright but was staring at the flames that started to go in a line along the water to their right.

"That's so cool," Julia breathed to her mother before they were looking back to the left as a statue in an alcove burst into flames. She laughed slightly when another exploded into flames to their right before they found another room with ruins and flames going up onto a roof. "Whoa," she said as they were looking up at fire burning above them. She knew it wasn't real, but she still thought it was cool before she was crying out with the other kids as a statue fell over above them.

"Ooh, scary," Eliza said, still holding onto her father before she giggled as they were passing more ruins. When she saw it was dark again she asked, "Daddy?"

"I think we're almost there sweetheart, ready?" Castle said.

"Yeah," Eliza said though she soon leaned over to look at her mother.

"It'll be fun," Julia said before their mother could.

"She's right," was all Beckett had time to say before they were going through some mist that was being lit a red color. The doors she'd been able to tell they were approaching opened just before they hit them, and she heard the squeal from Eliza before they were flying down the drop. She was relieved the girls were both laughing together as they'd been splashed at the end and she heard her father speaking.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, did you like that Grandpapa?" Eliza said before they were going through a garden with plants on either side of them. She then gasped and said, "I forgot to wave to Gram and everyone!"

"I don't think we had the chance to see them," Beckett reassured her.

"Hopefully they saw us," Castle said before he was laughing as Julia was squealing when one of the fountains they were passing under got her. When they had reached the loading station he expected the girls to complain about how the ride was so short, but Julia was rushing to Mari as soon as they were out of the boat and Eliza went to her grandfather. He went to his wife and took her hand before he led her over to Darnley and Nkosi who'd been sitting in the last row of the boat.

"Let's wait until we're back with everyone," the latter said in amusement as he knew the two were wondering about the next ride. "But it's going to need to be the last one, so we can get lunch."

"We know," Beckett said first before she let go of her husband. She looped her arm through Darnley's and told him, "A roller coaster I'm guessing."

"Yes, although really could you guess anything else?" he asked her.

"I hope there are," Beckett said, smiling at him. "But I do feel bad for Eliza." She had wanted to say more but couldn't continue as they were meeting up with their family outside the exit.

After gathering together, the group headed around the ride and then on a bridge over the train tracks before they came to another roller coaster.

"This one we might want to leave for later," Brad said before Darnley could speak.

"Is there another one closer?" Lily asked the detective.

"Right behind it," Darnley answered.

"Oh! It's that purple one I saw from the parking lot," Kathleen told her mothers.

"It is, what about that one?" Skye said, directing the last to the two men.

"We should see it," Nkosi told them. "And it is fifty-two inches, the height requirement," he added when they began to walk.

"You two just made it," Mary said. "But let's take a look at the ride first."

When they reached the purple and yellow roller coaster the group studied it before the older McDouglas twins begged to go on which their mothers agreed to. But before they could head over to the exit Jim got everyone's attention.

"I think the two of us should take the ones that aren't able to go on back to the Pompeii ride," Beckett's father said.

"I want to go," Eliza said with a gasp, hurrying to him and taking his hand. "Can I go Mommy, Daddy?"

"You can," Beckett said with a smile. "But you really need to behave for your grandpapa and Mary."

"I'll be good," Eliza said, trying to be serious but unable to help smiling widely.

"We'll come back here once we're off the ride," Jim said to Martha and Nkosi's parents.

Watching the group of them leave, Castle turned to his wife and asked, "I think it's our turn next."

"Dad?" Julia asked as they were walking together, and she was with her parents and Skye; Alexis with Louis.

"Yeah?" Castle asked, looking down at her.

"We are gonna eat lunch next right?" Julia said a little abashedly.

"You're hungry?" Beckett said to her.

"Yeah," Julia admitted. "Breakfast was a long time ago."

"It was, but we need to eat after this so it won't be too long a wait," Castle said. "I think there are a lot more rides to go."

"How late is the park open?" Julia said.

"Ten," Skye commented as they'd stopped and they were waiting. "We'll have twelve hours all together to go around."

"What about the babies?" Julia said.

"Anyone who's tired will go to those massage chairs we saw at the front," Castle said. "Or the benches," he added. "Wherever they want to wait for us."

Nodding Julia looked at the ride and said, "We're going to ride together Mom?"

"The four of us," Skye commented. She smiled when the girl looked at her and she told her, "Four abreast."

"That's a synonym for in a row," Beckett said quickly, not surprised at the way Julia's eyes widened.

"Oh… I've never heard that," the girl said, smiling at the investigator.

"My girls have," Skye said before she left them to go with her family.

"Oh…" Julia started to say as she remembered that the women had been with her family. "Hi 'lexis," she said with a smile when her big sister walked up to her.

"Hey, we're riding with our families," Alexis said to her.

"I hope you and Louis will have a chance to ride together today," Beckett said.

"We will," Alexis said since she and her boyfriend were going to split up from the others to go around on their own when the families split up after going through the Sesame Street rides. She looked ahead of them and said, "This one should be interesting, you know there's a two hundred and ten foot drop."

"I'm not the littlest one here," Julia said as fast as she could in case their parents would change their minds hearing that. But she was surprised when her mother wrapped her arm around her and she glanced up at her, wondering what she was going to say since she was smiling down at her.

"If you're scared that's alright," Beckett commented.

"I still want to go but… I am a little nervous," Julia confessed.

"Me too," Castle said.

"Really?" Julia asked.

"I think we all are," Brad said as he and his family were behind them. "Where are you guys sitting?"

"The front, I think it's better," Beckett said.

"It should be, the back you tend to go faster," Alexis added.

"I'll ask," Castle said before they stepped up to the front of the line for Apollo's Chariot. Once they were sitting in their row he said to his wife, "Should we have taken the front?"

"I like this better Dad," Julia said, trying not to pay attention to how tall the lift hill that was directly in front of them was. "That way we know what's going to come next."

"Then I love our lane," Lily said before they were laughing. "I mean row."

"Are you scared Mom?" Jacob asked.

"No, just a bit nervous like Julia was saying," Lily said.

"Too late to get off the ride now," Skye said, in the third row with her family as they started up the hill.

"Look at the view," Alexis said as she was sitting to her sister's left. She turned to her after looking at the trees and saw she was watching the orange and teal coaster tracks next to them.

"Why didn't we go on that one?" Julia asked her parents.

"They didn't finish it yet," Castle commented, as they could see the part of the track that went straight up but only to a certain point. When the girl gave him a look he laughed and told her, "I think your mom wants to leave that one for after lunch."

"I do, plus Patrick seemed to want to come on this one," Beckett commented.

"This'll be fun," Darnley said from the fourth row with the Fosters.

Julia could see that they were near the top, and she held on tightly to the handles in front of her. Though the first drop wasn't a big one she still cried out, laughing a little wildly in her nervousness when her mother looked at her.

Beckett squeezed her daughter's hand quickly while they were going flat for a short distance and she was amazed at the view of all the trees around the park; though they could also see the parking lot to the left too. After that they came to the drop and she wasn't surprised to hear the gasp from Julia next to her.

Screaming just a bit before they were looking down at their drop as they'd seemed to speed up, Julia had a wild thought for a moment that she was going to fly out of her chair. But she remained in place while they went up into another hill and she screamed at the force though she couldn't help laughing a bit. They went into another large drop and she screamed yet again when they went into a tunnel though she knew that was part of the ride, and she was groaning a little as they were going up again.

Castle was yelling when the next drop banked to the left, wanting to hold up his arms but having to keep them down because of the force on him. That continued as they banked for a while, but they were going up slightly until they were going on a drop and swooping up into a break run.

"It's not going to stop," Brad said to Eve and Jacob in between himself and his wife.

"Another drop!" Eve was able to say before they were going down a smaller drop.

"Another," the kids on the train all managed to say at the same time as they were going down again. There were some screams since that drop was taller and they were going above some water before coming back up to the top.

While they banked to the right Beckett noticed that Julia's screams were a lot less terrified. She was screaming herself as they went into another drop, but she was expressing her exhilaration as her daughter was. Out of the dip they were banking to the left before heading over another dip to the kids' obvious delight. She laughed just before they went down a bigger drop, having to stop since the surprise at how big it was took her breath away briefly. She was slightly relieved when they came up and into a brake run that she knew was the end of the ride. She smiled when some of the riders with them in the back started to applaud and they joined in with them before she looked at Julia though she was clapping too.

"That was fun… a lot of drops," the girl said.

"That's the point," someone said from the middle of the train. "Air time."

"Cool," Julia said as they looked back, smiling at whoever had spoken. She looked forward again and then said, "So… are we really gonna have lunch now?"

"We are," Castle said. "That way we eat now and have the rest of the afternoon for the rides." He was surprised when the girl nodded before she turned to her big sister and he listened to their conversation as they slowly returned to the loading station.

"Thanks for riding with us," Julia told her.

"You're welcome but we'll meet back up with you guys," Alexis replied with a smile. "Later this afternoon and we've got a while before we split up."

"Are you coming with us after lunch?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter once they were off the train and walking out so they could meet the rest of their group.

"Of course, I'm not losing my lunch right after," Alexis said with a smile. She laughed when she saw the way Julia was wrinkling her nose and wrapped her arm around her before they reached everyone else.

Once the babies were checked the group got up and headed out of that area, going into the Italy section next to it where their eatery for lunch was going to be. Josie began to cry just as Beckett was deciding what she wanted which let her tell her husband before she was hurrying out to the seating area with the stroller.

"Mom!" Julia called as she and her sister had followed telling their father what they'd wanted.

"Easy you guys," Alexis said, joining them. "She's just going to a table."

"And I'm joining her," Lily said, walking past them with Sophie in her carrier crying.

"How come-" Eliza started to say as they were walking after the woman.

"She doesn't know that Josie's going to nurse, she just wants to too," Alexis explained, holding her sisters' hands. "We'll have to help both."

"Do we have to burp Sophie?" Eliza asked as they were near the table where their mother and Lily were.

"No, I'll take care of her," the woman said with a smile. Lily looked over at Beckett and said, "After," very simply, nearly laughing as her friend looked up from her nursing baby.

"After what?" she asked in confusion.

"We can't go straight to ride rides," Lily said.

"Should you be nursing her? You're completely drunk," Beckett said teasingly to her.

"No," Lily said. "Thank you, Eliza," she said quickly to the little girl who was holding a blanket in front of her. "But I wouldn't need you to block me until I need to move her."

"Oh… kay," Eliza said slowly. "But what about the rides?"

"We can go to two rides, the slowest rides there are," Castle said as he was coming over with some of the others with their drinks.

"The train and that sky thing?" Julia asked.

"You want to go on those?" Beckett asked in slight surprise.

"Well… I want to see the whole park," Julia began. "The train goes around the whole park, right?"

"It's not like Disneyland," Mary said before she instructed her daughters to remain at one of the tables. "It cuts into the park at one point but if you want to see the other roller coasters you should be able to."

"I don't know," Beckett said with a slight laugh when her oldest turned to look at her. "It's hard to tell on the map but we'll see something I'm sure. And there's the sky… Whatever that is around the Scotland area."

"And then we can head over to the real rides?" Fleur asked.

Laughing with her mother and Lily, Julia said, "Those two are real rides, but better we go on those instead of getting sick."

"You want to go on the roller coasters too," Iris said.

"Yeah but not throw up," Julia said, getting slightly annoyed.

"Hey, both of you," Brad said as he was sitting at one of the other tables. "We all want to go on roller coasters but for now we need to eat."

Beckett watched Julia to make sure that she nodded along with Iris and she watched her husband approach the table before she called his name.

"She's done?" Castle asked, going over to her quickly after he'd set down the tray in his hands. He got the towel on his wife's shoulder and tossed it over his so he could take Josie, holding her against his shoulder to begin burping her. "I forgot to tell you," he then said to her once he was set. "There's one thing we have before those two rides."

"Oh?" Beckett said once she'd fixed her blouse.

"Yes, but we'll go there as soon as we finish," Castle replied. "Eat love," he said when she brought his pizza over in front of him from the tray.

"When you're ready," Beckett said. "No one else is."

Castle glanced around, seeing she was right as Brad was burping Sophie, he then smiled at his wife and told her, "Sure you didn't want a pizza?"

"A little late to change my mind now," Beckett replied, not surprised he was mentioning that. She waited for him to finish and as soon as he had she gently took Josie from him, taking her to her carrier and setting her inside before she let her husband push the stroller to rock their baby to sleep. She cut up his pizza so he could eat and then turned her attention to her orange chicken, eating and making sure Julia and Eliza were too. Once Josie was sleeping she turned her attention to her husband and they began to speak quietly to each other in Irish about the next night in the time they had left before they would continue through the park again.

* * *

"Any reason why we didn't come here first?" Beckett asked. "Or with everyone else?"

"I thought it'd be better to come here now," Castle said. He laughed when his wife just looked at him and said, "Okay, okay, I should have had them come with us, but they'll be here really soon."

"I didn't mind the little kid rides," Beckett said with a slight smile.

"We'll go on them all with her after dinner," Castle said as they approached the railing at the Highland Stables they'd left everyone else to see.

"Good," Beckett said before she gently clicked her tongue. She wasn't surprised when one of the Clydesdales came over to them and she reached over to the horse as it sniffed at her hand. When it pressed against her palm she spoke gently in Irish to it before it tossed its head back. " _I don't know whether this is sexual for you or not_ ," she said to him.

Since she was still speaking in Irish to him, it took Castle a moment to realize that she was speaking to him and he was quick to tell her, " _It's not. I figured you'd want to see them_."

" _I do_ ," Beckett replied easily before the horse trotted away from them. She then turned to her husband and said, "Where are they?"

Castle; wondering where exactly their family was himself; turned and said, "Oh, there they are. And Alexis did go with Louis now."

Turning herself, Beckett saw them and that her stepdaughter wasn't among them before she said, "I hope Dad and Martha will be alright taking her around."

"Of course," the latter said as they'd been close enough to hear her, though she'd spoken in a low tone. "We're here to spend time with all our grandchildren."

"What do I get to go on?" Eliza asked, going to her mother and taking her hand.

"Would you like to go on the Skyride again?" Jim asked her.

"Will you and Josa come too?" Eliza said to her grandmother.

"We will if the baby doesn't mind it," Martha said, glancing at her son and daughter in law. When they nodded she smiled and said, "We'll go, unless you want to watch their roller coasters of course."

"I'm so excited for the next roller coaster," Julia said eagerly. She then paused and said, "But what about dessert."

"Let's keep going," Castle said, tugging her hand as she was walking with him. "And I've thought about that already, we're going to be in France."

Though she could be annoyed at his answer Julia knew to trust him already, so she merely nodded before they continued walking until they reached a blue roller coaster. She stopped completely when she saw the train for the ride getting to the top of the straight drop and squeaked slightly when it paused.

"Sweetie you don't need to go," Beckett said after the car soon went down.

"No, that's so cool," Julia breathed. She looked at her mother and smiled saying, "Scary, but so cool."

"Okay, the scary-" Castle started to say.

Shaking her head Julia outright begged her parents telling them, "I'll be good forever and I'll never go on a scary ride again-"

"Whoa," Castle told her, squeezing her shoulder to stop her from continuing. "I wouldn't make promises that you couldn't keep."

"He's right, there are other rides here you'll want to go on," Beckett told her with a smile. "And you can go but if you feel sick after just tell us."

"I will," Julia promised, nodding her head widely as another train was going down the drop. She then turned to her sister and was surprised when she hugged her tightly. She couldn't help giggling and told her, "I'll be okay, but listen for Dad screaming."

Eliza giggled and forgot about her concern for their parents and her big sister before she said, "Tell me if it's fun."

"Yep," Julia said seriously, nodding her head. She smiled and when Eliza let go of her said to their grandparents, "Will you watch instead?"

"We will, I think this is a marvelous little show," Martha said as there had been several amusing screams on the last train.

Laughing Castle and Beckett took their daughter's hands and walked with her over to the ride Griffon before they went through the exit. They watched Julia, as she was alternatively squeezing their hands while they waited the short time they needed to.

"I'm okay, just nervous again," the girl said when she looked up at her parents and noticed they were watching her.

"Well, well," a voice said behind them, making them turn around in surprise. Skye smiled as her two oldest rushed over to Julia, and she said, "We couldn't resist."

"You mean you couldn't," Beckett said, smiling at the woman as they had all known she wanted to go on that ride.

"Alright you got me," Skye said. "But this should be fun; we'll ride together?"

"Sure… should we get the middle?" Castle said.

"I want the front," Marie said eagerly.

"Yeah, we want to see that drop," Kathleen said eagerly.

"I suppose," Skye said. "But what about you Julia?"

"I think that'll be fun," the girl said after taking a moment to think about that. "But I want to sit next to my mom."

"We do too," the twins said at the same time.

With some laughter the six moved up to the end of the line and Castle talked to the worker there before they were let onto the front row of the next train to pull up. He was at the end of the row and watched his wife sit next to him before Julia was to her left. Leaning over he smiled as Marie was to Julia's left, Skye next to her and Kathleen last before they were waiting for the over the shoulder restraints to come down on them.

"The gate's cool," Julia said about the front gate of three metal bars on either side.

"Yeah… I'm so scared," Marie said before she was laughing.

Joining in with both twins as they were all nervously laughing, Julia felt her mother touch her hand and she turned to her. "I'm okay," she said quickly. She was startled when Beckett brushed the backs of her fingers over her cheek and she was going to ask why she'd done that when her mother answered her ahead of her being able to speak.

"I'm worried about you on this Julia," Beckett said honestly. "But I know you like roller coasters."

"Yeah, it's fun after being really scared," the girl said with a wide smile at her. She heard something, and she looked below them as the floor dropped underneath them before saying, "No floor?"

"Nope, that's one of the big things about this ride," Castle told her, leaning over slightly to see her. "Floorless." He wasn't surprised when she bit her lower lip, but the front gates were opening, and they were moving forward and down.

Beckett smiled when the three girls playfully cried out at their slight dip but wasn't surprised when they stopped soon after as they were coming to the base of the lift hill. Once they were heading up she glanced at her husband and said, "Okay?"

"Yeah, I have to tell Alexis she needs to go on this one," Castle said.

"She'll enjoy it?" Beckett asked.

"I think so," Castle replied.

Beckett nodded, wondering why he'd said that since she was aware her stepdaughter enjoyed roller coasters. But when she looked at their oldest as they were nearing the top she saw Julia was looking at Castle.

"She really would like this one?" the girl asked.

"Oh yeah, though the stop would freak her out," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she laughed at calling the pause that before they were at the top and going around to the right for a bit before they got to the drop and stopped as they were hanging over the edge looking down at the ground.

Julia swore her heart was pounding in her ears and at the same time she could feel a scream bubbling up from the back of her throat. The people at the bottom looked horrifically small, but before she could dwell on the idea of falling out of the train it was released, and her scream sounded earsplitting as her stomach seemed to push up and force her cry out of her. She was relieved to hear Marie and Kathleen next to her screaming that loud as well. The drop was short and when they went back up she cried out as the track was taking them through a half loop and then a half twist. She laughed as her adrenaline was rushing through her, but it was short since they were going back to the ground and then up to some breaks. "Another one?" she said in surprise as she could see the track dropping down.

Beckett didn't have a chance to say anything to her daughter as they were very shortly after dropping and going right into a loop before straightening and going down a hill and into some water where she recalled it sprayed on either side of the train. They went up into a banked turn to the left and went down a small hill before they went on a brake run and went slowly to the loading station. She waited until they were all off the train and she asked her daughter, "What do you think?"

Julia didn't say anything at first, just threw her arms around her mother before she said, "I loved it! It was scary at first, but it was so much fun. Can we go again?"

Laughing with his wife, Castle said, "I think we will."

"With 'lexis?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Beckett replied. "Let's go and see if your sister watched us heading down the first drop," she said as she took Julia's hand and they walked together through the exit to find their family and the rest of the McDouglases.

* * *

"Do you see them?" Eliza asked her grandfather.

"Wait until they get to the drop right here and we can see them," Jim replied. He looked over at Mary, not surprised her three daughters were holding onto her hands and arm. "Will she sit in the front with the twins?" he asked her.

"Oh of course," Mary replied wryly. "I just don't know if Rick and Kate will want Julia to sit there."

"They will," Jim replied.

"Look!" Ivy said when she saw the next train coming over the drop.

"I see Mommy!" Eliza said eagerly, waving. "There's Jules too!"

"I don't think they can hear you," Jim said gently, picking her up. When the train dropped down his eyes widened at the screams he could hear but it was soon flying past them and he followed it as much as he could until it was out of sight. "I guess we'll see them soon," he said to the others.

"Yeah," Eliza said. "I hope Jules had fun."

"That's a scary drop," Fleur told her, smiling when the little girl nodded her head.

Walking back over to where Martha was with Josie, Eliza told her about what they'd seen before someone was tapping her on the shoulder. "Jules!" she cried when she saw it was her big sister, hugging her tightly and making her stagger slightly as they were laughing together.

"Did you watch us?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, you came straight down," Eliza said in awe. "Were you scared?"

"Yeah, but it was still fun," Julia replied. "What're we gonna do now?"

"Have dessert and then check out the lorikeets," Skye said. "Oh… I'm sorry I'm answering for my family."

"That's what we were going to do," Castle said. "Though we didn't think of the lorikeets; I forgot about those."

"We're joining each other?" Mary asked.

"I think so," Beckett said as they looked at their seven children talking together. They left then and walked together, pushing Josie's stroller herself as she'd seen the baby was awake. "I want to take her somewhere on our own," she said to her husband.

"Rest a little?" Castle asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Beckett said, nodding.

"What are we going to do when they go to the birds?" Castle asked her as he saw where they were getting dessert ahead of them.

"Go with them," Beckett replied. "But after we're going to wait around InvadR after for them."

"Where will they go?" Castle asked, seeing his mother was sitting at a table.

"Wherever they want but I get the feeling it's either the train or Skyride," Beckett said with a smile before their oldest was hurrying over to her and grabbing her hand while Castle was setting Josie next to her grandmother.

"There are _crêpes_ ," the girl said. "We're getting those right?"

"We are," Castle said. "Do you guys mind sharing one? We were going to get the chocolate and banana one."

"We'll have the lemon and blueberry one," Martha said, looking at Jim who had nodded to her unasked question.

"You're staying with the girls?" Castle asked them.

"We are, have fun," Martha said simply. She smiled when the two shared a look but left the girls with them and she said to Skye and Mary, "You can leave your girls with us as well."

"Thank you," the latter said before they were leaving.

"So girls," Martha was saying to the youngest McDouglas twins. "How are you doing?"

"Good, we're having fun," Ivy said first.

"Which ride was your favorite so far?" Julia asked Iris, trying to draw the little girl out to join them.

"I think the Pompeii one," she answered, her cheeks pink.

"I like that one too," Eliza said. "The horsies were really nice."

Not surprised when all the kids agreed with that Jim said, "Are there any roller coasters you three can go on?" speaking to the youngest McDouglases.

"Mom and Mum said the wood roller coaster," Marie answered. "If they want to; we have to see it first."

"I saw it," Eliza said with a smile. "It's made of wood."

"There's more than that," Castle said. When the others looked at him in surprise he smiled and said, "We got a short line. But there is a nice sized drop."

"Don't scare them Rick," Mary said. "But it's a bit more than Splash Mountain is, but we'll see it once we calm down from dessert."

"I can't go through that ride Mommy?" Eliza asked after she and her sister had gone over to their parents to start on their _crêpes_.

"I'm afraid not sweetie," Beckett said. "You're four inches too short but there are other rides."

"She's right, we left out one for the time being," Castle said. He laughed with his wife when the little girl's eyes widened, chocolate all over her lower lip, and he cleaned her off saying, "Roman Rapids, we're going to go on that right before we head over to Pompeii to meet your sister."

"What about Louis?" Julia asked.

"He's heading over to another ride to meet his family," Beckett replied. "They're going to join their families the rest of the time we have."

"Do we really have until dinner on our own?" Julia asked.

"Don't forget about us," Kathleen commented at the next table over.

"We'll split up, but not just yet," Skye said. "For now, keep eating so we can go," she told her second oldest.

"She's right," Beckett said, touching Julia's arm to get her attention.

Smiling at her mother, Julia nodded and then got another bite of their crêpe, eating it and hoping it wouldn't take too long to go on the next roller coaster. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to go on all the roller coasters and hoped they'd have enough time to do that as she leaned against her mother while they listened to Griffon going over the track behind them.


	32. Was A Great Big World (Part 2)

"Ahhh."

"What do you think that means?"

"Why are you asking me like that?" Beckett asked her husband as she looked down at Josie in his hands.

"I'm sure it's a secret language," Castle replied.

"She's three and a half months," Beckett said wryly. "Her language is vowels and they don't mean all that much."

"Sorry," Castle directed to the baby who was looking at him. "Sorry too, you shouldn't start sucking on your fist sweetheart," he told her as Beckett gently moved her hand away from her face. Glancing at his wife he paused for a moment and said, "What did I do?"

"Why do you ask that?" Beckett said, leaning over to press her lips to Josie's forehead.

"The look on your face," Castle replied. "I've gotten to read them very well… wait, not read them but just get the gist of them."

"Gist?" Beckett said slowly. She smiled when her husband nodded rapidly before she squeezed his shoulder and told him, "I remembered something I'd intended to talk to you about last night, but we had something else to take care of that was more important of course."

"Of course," Castle replied. When she didn't say anything else he then asked, "What was it?"

Becket paused for a moment before she then said, "Do you still blame yourself for my being shot?" She wasn't surprised when he looked startled and she was swift to explain what Alexis had told her the day before and the memory she'd had as well.

Breathing out hard Castle said, "So you realize that's been going on for a while."

"That has nothing to do with our past life," Beckett said simply. "But-"

"I'm not sure you could convince me it wasn't," Castle interrupted. "If I hadn't pushed-"

"And if I hadn't kept on investigating instead of leaving everything after Coonan died…" Beckett interrupted smoothly.

Sighing Castle said, "It's why I did what Smith suggested I do."

"Suggested? It sounded like you had to keep me from going back to the case," Beckett said.

"It wasn't a command," Castle finally said after remaining silent for a while. "I told you I watched you die… twice and…"

"Here," Beckett said, taking Josie when he shrugged, and she let out an odd sound that she wasn't sure was one of discomfort. She spoke gently to the baby in Irish as she settled her into her carrier and once she was sure Josie was alright she turned her attention back to her husband. "Look, we both brought the case to its conclusion. We both pushed to investigate and what happened, happened. I didn't stop going after Lockwood and I was shot, I didn't stop going after Maddox and I nearly fell off the roof. What's happened to me is more directly connected to me not stopping. You told me twice to and I didn't listen; you aren't to blame Rick, it was the two of them," she said, speaking firmly as she watched him closely once she had stopped.

Looking at their baby, Castle gently reached for her tiny hand that she was moving around above her and he said, "If anything had happened to you-"

Taking his free hand in between her own tightly Beckett told him, "It didn't love. We can't control everything that happens and I'm still here. The four of us are here with you don't forget."

Sighing Castle gently moved his hand from hers, so he could wrap his arm around her and hold her close to him before he murmured against her temple, " _I know I'm not the reason why. But I want to make it up to you_."

Smiling, Beckett turned her head and they kissed gently before she said, in Irish as well, " _I'll make sure you do_." They shared another short kiss before they parted as they could hear their middle daughter crying out to them and they turned together to watch the others approach them. "How was it?"

"So fun," Eliza said as they'd gone on the park's train to finish digesting their dessert. "Now is the roller coaster?"

"It is," Castle said, about to pick her up. He was a little surprised when she shook her head but understood why she did that as she hurried to Fleur to walk with the girl the short distance they needed to go to reach InvadR.

Beckett, slipping her hand into her husband's, squeezed it gently and smiled when he did the same back to her before they were walking after their parents who were with Josie.

"You're not scared, are you?" Eliza asked Fleur as they were looking up at the ride once they'd reached it.

"No," the little girl said, shaking her head and smiling down at her. "Are you?"

"I get to watch, I'm not scared," Eliza said. She giggled with her before she said, "You'll have fun."

"Have fun too," Fleur said as her mother was calling her over.

"Sweetheart," Castle said when Eliza was with him and Beckett. "Your grandpapa is going to go with us okay?"

"Kay, I'll help Gram with Josa," Eliza said quickly. She was surprised when her parents looked at each other and asked, "We're not gonna stay?"

"Oh, I thought you wanted to go on the Skyride," Beckett said gently. "But after this one we're heading for the last roller coaster, so you'll go with your gram to Pompeii."

"You're gonna go," Eliza said with a gasp, looking at Martha.

"I will, and take Fleur and the younger twins," Castle's mother replied. "Hopefully we won't get too wet."

"Sit in the middle," Skye said. "Let's head on the ride and you guys can go after."

Waving at her little sisters and grandmother, Julia turned and took her father's hand saying, "Sorry I haven't gone with you."

"That's okay. Promise me you'll go with me on Aplengeist," Castle commented, squeezing her hand.

"Sure," Julia said with a slight giggle as she wasn't going to ride with an adult that time, getting the chance to go on her own.

"Is it alright I'm with you?" Ivy was asking Beckett as they were walking together.

"Of course," Beckett said. "I just hope you don't mind riding with me."

Shaking her head Ivy looked ahead at the ride and said, "We've never been on so many rides before."

"Neither have I," Beckett said, smiling at her. "But you'll have more once you head back home."

"I know, our sisters told us," Ivy said. "Will you go when you come over?"

"To some places," Beckett replied. "Here we go," she said, following her husband who was riding with Marie in the front row. Behind her Skye was with Iris, Josie on her own behind them and her father with Kathleen last and she said to Ivy, "We almost took up the train."

"Almost, what is that?" the little girl said, looking at the front of it.

"That's a Viking carving," Castle said, looking behind him. "So we're Vikings now. What we're invading I don't know but it should be fun," he was able to say before the train started to move forward and went down to the right slightly.

Julia cried out as they seemed to be going fast up to the right again before they reached the lift hill. She tried to see the drop in front but found she couldn't really find it before they were going down a drop slightly and she cried out with the others as they were picking up speed and turning to the left.

Hearing the way Julia was screaming at the drop through the tunnel they went through, Beckett tried not to think that she should have sat with her as that scream turned shortly after into a whoop of joy at the way they were going up an incline swiftly before banking to the right.

Castle hoped the three youngest McDouglases were enjoying themselves as they went over a couple of airtime hills. But hearing them crying out in more excitement than terror he focused on the next part of the track as they descended to the left and went on another air time hill.

As they banked to the right Julia could hear Skye letting out an exclamation of joy until they quickly turned to the left. She was a little surprised she was enjoying it that much; thinking the investigator just liked faster coasters; before they were going on a small hill that made her feel like she was flying out of her seat. When they turned to the left she was laughing briefly at the way her father was yelling in the front before they were banking to the right and up until they slowed down and soon came into the station.

"Was that all?" Iris asked her mother.

Laughing Skye asked, "You enjoyed that?"

"Yeah, it was fun," Iris said.

Leaning over to kiss the top of her head Skye said, "That is it, can't be on a ride for too long sweetheart. But we'll go on it again of course since a lot of our group can go on it."

When they were off the ride Julia went to her mother and said, "What's next?"

Laughing Beckett wrapped her arm around her and she told her, "Alpengeist but that'll be the last of the roller coasters," before she looked over at Skye.

"We'll head on that later if we go all together," the investigator said. "Now we'll focus on rides the seven of us can go on. We'll see you in a bit."

"Bye," Julia said, waving with her parents and grandfather. When they were walking out of the exit she said to Jim, "Did you have fun?"

"I did but I'm not sure yet about the last ride," Beckett's father. "Let me see it before I decide."

"Sure," Julia said seriously. She then smiled and said, "I want to see it too."

"Was it fun?" Eliza asked eagerly once the rest of the family was back with her, Martha and Josie.

"A lot, we were flying over hills," Julia explained. "And now we're gonna go…"

"I get to go to Pompeii now, right Mommy, Daddy?" Julia asked.

"You do," Castle said with a smile. "Why did we forget?"

"We were having too much fun," Beckett said with a smile. "Dad…"

"I know," Jim said, looking over at his oldest granddaughter.

"Don't worry, you can rest," Julia said rapidly. "When we go later with everyone you can decide then."

"I will," Jim said. "We'll see you at Roman Rapids," he said, picking Eliza up as she'd hurried over to him.

"Sweetie, there's something else we forgot too," Beckett said as she and Castle took their daughter's hand and walked in the direction of the roller coaster.

"We kept this from you, there's one last roller coaster and it's where we're meeting everyone else now," Castle told her. He wasn't surprised when Julia furrowed her brow at her and told her, "Verbolten. And it was closed when we first came in because it broke down, but your cousins saw it was open and Erin said we should all go." He and Beckett watched her considering that and he wasn't surprised at what she asked as soon as she spoke once they were in the Germany section.

"Who can go on it?" Julia said.

"The height restriction is forty-eight inches," Beckett replied. "Which means the three youngest McDouglas girls just make it."

"Think they'll go?" Julia said as they reached the ride.

"I think so," Castle said slowly.

"Maybe not Fleur but we'll see," Beckett told her.

"Hmm, maybe not Iris either," Julia said thoughtfully.

"What're you thinking sweetie?" Beckett asked, putting her hand on her back as they went through the exit.

"They really love their new family," Julia told them

"They told you?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, but not just me, all of us older kids," Julia replied. "But they're afraid they'll be taken away from Skye and Mary so they're afraid to call them mom… and mum. I told them that that keeps you from having fun and they love the twins a lot so…" She shook herself after pausing and she then said with a smile, "I said that they should wait until they're ready but don't be afraid."

"That's good advice," Beckett said, squeezing her shoulder.

Looking ahead of them, Julia gasped as she saw the train of the roller coaster and she said, "Our legs are going to hang out?"

"They are, like Griffon but the floor's already out," Castle said.

"Are there loops?" Julia asked.

"Six," Castle said, knowing Beckett would want him to be honest about that.

"Oh… cool," Julia said. She then smiled at her parents before they needed to step up to the gate and said, "I'm sitting in between you?"

"Better you do that," Beckett said, squeezing her hand before Castle was talking to an employee and they were stepping out to the train, walking across the row until they were sitting down. As the over the shoulder restraints came down she looked over at her daughter who was in between them to check on her.

"I'm fine," Julia said, smiling at her. "This is cool… my legs are gonna go all over the place."

Laughing at that Castle said, "Ours too, dangerous since we have long gams."

Julia couldn't help giggling at the way her mother rolled her eyes, but she was soon distracted by a worker asking if they were ready to ride. She let out a cry as her parents were responding too and after doing that a second time, louder, she smiled as the employee said a simple, "Enjoy your ride," before they were leaving the station and going straight into a lift hill. "Ooh," she said in a slight groan as she saw how tall it was.

"Scared or it's going to take too long?" Castle asked as he and Beckett looked at their daughter at the same time.

"Take too long," Julia said, smiling at them. She looked at the track above them and said, "This is so cool."

"It is," Castle said with a nod before they were nearing the top. He saw the track went down to the right a bit before they were reaching the drop which had them going to the right before they went on a loop.

Screaming at being flipped upside down, Julia laughed when they straightened out and then quickly went into another inversion. When they went down into a tunnel she cried out to hear if her voice echoed but they were going too fast. She didn't mind, distracted as they were going upside down again. She cried out when they went down and to the right before banking right and then hitting some brakes though she could easily see the drop that was in front of them.

Beckett was laughing as they ended the drop going through a small structure and her husband yelled, "Love shack!" She heard only a short laugh from Julia as they were going through a zero-g roll and she was screaming. But from her tone she could tell her daughter wasn't terrified, just taking in the experience before they were out and going straight near the ground. She had a moment to admire the rocks covered with fake snow, before they were going into another roll, then a corkscrew ahead of going in a helix and starting to slow down. "Well?" she asked, looking at Julia.

Leaning her head back and rolling her tongue out the girl laughed when her mother pinched her arm gently and said, "Smart aleck." Julia giggled as she opened her eyes and said, "That was fun, we were rolling a lot though."

"I know," Castle said in agreement. "But that's fun to do since it's so fast."

Julia nodded rapidly and then said, "So next we're going to Verbolten?"

"First we need to find your sisters and grandparents," Castle said. "And then everyone else."

Beckett smiled as Julia giggled before they were reaching the loading station and getting off the train to walk across Germany and into Oktoberfest. They were going underneath some arches before she heard someone calling behind them and they turned at the same time. She smiled when she saw that it was Eliza and she was holding something in her hand saying, "Your mother," to her husband, not surprised when his head whipped around to look at her.

"Your dad," Castle said. He smiled when his wife turned her head to him and they said at the same time, "Both."

"You guys are crazy," Julia told them with a laugh, watching them.

"Of course we are," Castle said before he saw that behind them the McColloughs were behind them. "Oh, I think we're all meeting up," he said to the two.

"We are," Beckett said. "Good thing too, we need to have dinner early remember."

"We get to go on the rides again?" Julia asked.

"Yes, but your sister and the little kids need their turn on rides," Beckett told her.

"Yeah, I know," Julia said, giving the biggest sigh she could.

After they were all together; the four other families rejoining them by then; they admired Eliza's hand dipped candle shaped like a sphere that she'd made for her little sister. They then headed over to their last roller coaster for the park; everyone having gone on them except for that one; and they went to some benches where they were leaving the smallest kids.

"Okay, so we have four here," Castle said as he counted starting with himself and his family. "Then four with the Davises, three with the Fosters, seven with the McDouglases, another four for the McColloughs and two with Patrick and Trevor."

"How many is that?" Erin asked interestedly.

"Twenty-two?" Julia guessed.

"Close, twenty-four… wait, Mary?" Castle said as he looked at the doctor.

"Oh hush, I'm going with our daughters," the woman said with a smile, hugging Ivy to her. "And it evens us out."

"It does but I counted and we'll need to split up," Castle said. "Sixteen to a train."

"Great, we're calling the front row," Brad said, raising his daughter's arm.

"Dad," Eve said in slight embarrassment though she was smiling.

"We're taking the front," Beckett said, indicating herself and Julia. "We'll see you off the ride with the parents and kids." They turned their attention to the ride and she spoke to the worker at the front and they were soon splitting up, sitting in the front of the train that had a car shaped front and back to it.

"We got the blue car," Julia said eagerly to her mother as the lap bars came down.

"I know, they knew you were driving," Beckett said.

"Please be careful," Castle commented, sitting in the row behind them with Alexis.

"He's right, you know what Verbolten means in German right?" the young woman asked with a smile.

"No," Julia said in surprise.

"Well, it's not verbolten but _verboten_ , forbidden," Alexis told her.

"Cool," Julia said with a smile before their train started to move. She laughed when both her father and big sister started to applaud; and since they were all in one group in that train they all did the same thing before they dipped and then went over what she thought looked like an S as they curved and then went up into a lift hill and then up to a building.

"Kate," Darnley called from the second to last row with his husband. "You've got point."

"It's vacation," Beckett called out in amusement as they were nearing the structure. She was glad she hadn't turned around as they were suddenly accelerating up and her eyes went a little wide at the items they were passing, going too fast to make out what they were supposed to be before they were going by some flashing lights. When they got to the top they were going into an air time hill before they were going into some turns very fast. When they went into a helix she wasn't surprised when Julia was screaming heavily as it was dark. She was relieved when they came to a break run and she put her hand on her daughter's shoulder as soon as she could.

"We're in the woods!" Julia exclaimed to her mother, smiling at her though she couldn't really see her. She looked around them as there was the sound of animals around them and she smiled again before they went down into a curve before going up a hill and then going over brakes again. She was about to speak when there were more holographic branches and then some sounds of rustling and she looked around yet again. They were in the dark and she couldn't help reaching for her mother, trying to find her hand before there was the sound of thunder and what she guessed was supposed to be a storm. They were suddenly falling and she let out a scream of terror; relieved she wasn't the only one as the other kids were joining her and a few of the adults, even her mother. But she finally saw light in front of her and breathed out heavily.

"We have more ride," Castle managed to say before they were going forward and then down a small dip before they were being launched a second time. He was calling out as both his daughters were crying out in joy and they went up into a curve to the right before curving up into the left and coming into a brake run that was in a structure though there was no darkness.

"Don't say it," Beckett managed to say back to her husband before they were stopping. "Beautiful," she said, glancing at her daughter.

"Yep, wanna go swimming?" Julia asked. She had only a moment to laugh with her mother before they were slowly moving, and she gasped as she realized she wasn't seeing the track past the drop. But she soon did and breathed out in time to let a scream of exhilaration leave her lips before they curved so hard to the left at the bottom she thought they'd end up on their sides. They came out of that and she found them in a slightly less hard turn to the right, relieved when they straightened up and went over a tiny hill before going into a curve up to the left, reaching brakes again and she found they were almost back at the loading station. She clapped with the others and then smiled at her mother saying, "I'm okay, I didn't like not seeing the track though."

"Neither did I," Beckett assured her with a smile. "But that was interesting inside."

"Are you ready for dinner?" Castle asked, leaning forward.

"I'm not sick Dad," Julia said in annoyance. She then smiled at him; as she knew he was teasing her; and said, "But I want to go on the rides… and I'm hungry."

Laughing with her husband Beckett said, "Better we eat first okay?"

"Alright," Julia said with a sigh. Following her mother off the train she grabbed her hand and asked, "Think Lizzy is too?"

"Most likely," Castle answered before his wife could.

Beckett smiled when their daughter looked at her and led the way to the exit holding Julia's hand before she paused as she recalled Mary. She looked for the doctor before she spotted her and was about to ask her if she was alright when the investigator's wife anticipated that inquiry and spoke first.

"Keep going, I'm fine," Mary said. When they were away from the building she said, "I am, no inversions so I'm great… though I could have done without that freefall in the dark."

"Does that mean we can go on it again?" Iris asked.

"Yes, but not until much later," Mary said, cupping the back of head.

"How was the ride?" Bethany asked once they were all together again.

"It was a lot of fun," Jacob said first. "We were inside a building for a while, kinda dark."

"And a bad storm," Julia said, smiling at her little sister as Eliza's eyes went wide looking at the boy.

"We should head over to the restaurant now," Lily said. When the others looked at her she nodded to her son and said, "He has the same tell as his dad, he'll walk around when he's hungry."

"Hey," Brad and Jacob said at the same time, making them all laugh.

Since the restaurant was in the same area as Verbolten, the group reached it soon after they left the benches and were getting their table first since they were pushed together in long rows. The older kids started to walk around to look at everything in the room, while some of the adults went to order.

"How was it while you guys were on your own?" Beckett asked Lily as she watched her friend set Sophie back in her carrier.

"Fine, we had to take turns of course," the woman replied with a smile. "The kids wanted us to go on one of the coasters on our own, but we couldn't do that of course."

"You'll have a chance now," Skye commented, smiling at them as she was sitting with them, Clara and Rebecca. She was about to speak when she heard one of her children calling out to her and leaned back to see around the other women.

"Ivy tripped," Fleur called.

"Excuse me," Skye said quickly, getting up and going over to the girls. "Come on lass," she said, helping the little girl up. "Let's see what you have."

"I don't have anything," Ivy mumbled. She let her take her hands, looking at the palms, before she said, "I'm okay."

"Quite right," Skye replied. "I'm glad to hear that. And since you are go on and play for a bit more."

Ivy nodded and was about to run over to the other kids before she paused and turned to her, hugging her. "Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome, best go," Skye said with a smile, watching her leave her. She shook herself and walked over to the table where she saw Beckett was watching her. "What?" she asked.

" _She pulls away a bit_ ," Beckett told her.

Nodding Skye said in Russian as well, " _They're getting used to everything. And she's a bit tougher than her little sister; foster care would do that_."

" _I figured_ ," Beckett said, suddenly relieved she had been there for Julia when she needed someone to take her in. She then said in English, "Have you been to Germany?"

"I speak it so… yes," Skye said jokingly. She laughed softly when her friend rolled her eyes and then said, "I have, once for an investigation and second with Mary though she joined me after the investigation was over in Munich," not surprised her friend nodded while she looked thoughtful.

"You'll come with us, right? When we do that big Europe trip?" Beckett asked her when she saw the questioning look on the investigator's face.

"Of course, though I hope I'll be more than a translator," Skye said wryly, smiling so her friend would know that she wasn't serious.

"I can speak in France and Ireland you know," Beckett said.

"Very true," Skye said with a laugh. She then noticed the others come with the food and she called to the kids, " _Essen ist fertig_." She shared a smile with Beckett and the other women around the table before she said, "Dinner is ready!"

With that the kids rushed carefully to the tables before they sat with their families and began to eat.

"What do you think?" Castle asked his wife, well into the meal.

"It's good," Beckett replied. She studied him and asked, "Why?"

"Just checking," Castle replied, returning his attention to his knackwurst. He felt her touch his arm and looked at her saying, "I figured you were hungry."

" _You're a horrible liar_ ," Beckett said in Irish, squeezing his arm and smiling. She then said, " _I don't need five-star restaurants constantly. I'll remind you I said I'm a simple girl_."

" _Ba mhaith liom tú féin a spreagadh_ ," Castle replied, telling her he wanted to indulge her.

Beckett smiled, knowing he was using the word indulge in place of spoil since they didn't know if there was a word for that in Irish. She then leaned over, brushing her lips to his cheek and telling him, " _Feicfidh tú sin amárach_?"

Castle was relieved he wasn't drinking or eating at that point as she had asked if he would do that for her tomorrow. He looked at her and seeing how calm she was he said simply, " _Ar ndóigh_ ," which meant of course. He then heard two people clearing their throats and glanced across at Skye at Mary, the two women looking everywhere else but at them.

" _Are you two finished_?" Skye asked, speaking in Irish.

"Yes, so what should we do after this?" Beckett said before she realized Mary was looking pointedly at her wife.

"What's going on with that look?" Brennan asked the two women.

"They asked Mum and Mom to sing at the show in England!" Fleur said eagerly. "A Queen song."

"The one from our wedding?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head Skye finished sipping her drink and told them, " _I Want to Break Free_."

"Oh, mind if we dress drag and join you on the stage?" Darnley asked in an exaggeratedly eager voice.

"In the music video the band is all dressed as women for a lot of it," Beckett explained to the kids who looked confused. "What about instruments?"

"They have them here for us to play," Mary replied. "And if you're wondering about the rest of our band, we texted them as soon as we were asked and they're fine with it. Said it'd be good practice the next time we perform that song."

"Why did they ask you and how did they know you were here?" Nkosi asked.

"Conspiracy?" Skye said jokingly. When the man simply sighed she smiled and she said, "Apparently someone posted us singing outside that _Frozen_ ride online so… I think that explains it."

"You're a great singer _grá_ ," Mary told her wife.

"And you as well," Skye said. She smiled at her and then shook herself saying, "Martha we'll be in the Globe Theater they have in England."

"Wonderful, I'd like to see their recreation," Martha said before she saw her son and daughter in law looking at each other. "I may be predictable but I'm fine with that." She smiled when the others laughed, and she finished her meal before turning to her dessert she was going to share with Eliza, not surprised the girls were talking about the performance while they ate their sweets.

* * *

"What do you think?" Castle asked his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Hopefully she'll be alright with whatever guitar she has."

"What do you think she'll play?" Castle said.

"I'd say bass," Beckett replied with a smile. "As for Mary I have no idea."

Castle was about to speak when he heard the leader of the band that had been performing came up to the mic and introduced the two women and the song. His eyes widened when he saw the two walking on the stage and he leaned over to look at Darnley.

"Oh no, I didn't tell her to do that," the detective said quickly as Skye was wearing a men's blazer and a loose tie around the loose collar of the white dress shirt she had on, her hair pulled back.

"Good evening everybody," the investigator said. "This one is for Mr. Mercury." She and the band started to play the intro with the band behind them until she needed to sing, Mary joining her when she needed to for back up.

 _I want to break free_  
 _I want to break free_  
 _I want to break free from your lies_  
 _You're so self satisfied I don't need you_  
 _I've got to break free_  
 _God knows, God knows I've fallen in love_

 _I've fallen in love_  
 _I've fallen in love for the first time_  
 _And this time I know it's for real_  
 _I've fallen in love, yeah_  
 _God knows, God knows I've fallen in love_

 _It's but it's true_  
 _I can't get over the way you love me like you do_  
 _But I have to be sure_  
 _When I walk out that door_  
 _Oh how I want to be free, baby_  
 _Oh how I want to be free_  
 _Oh how I want to break free_

Beckett was a little surprised when Mary began to play the distinctive guitar at the instrumental there and Skye played along with her. She glanced at her husband and they leaned over to see the women's daughters. She smiled seeing that they were all watching their mother closely, but the youngest twins were watching with their mouths slightly opened. She was a little confused; since they'd seen their mothers perform before; but decided it was seeing an actual performance that made it more thrilling. She heard Skye beginning to sing again and she turned her attention to the stage as the two women were finishing up the song.

 _But life still goes on_  
 _I can't get used to living without, living without_  
 _Living without you by my side_  
 _I don't want to live alone, hey_  
 _God knows, got to make it on my own_

 _So baby can't you see_  
 _I've got to break free_  
 _I've got to break free_  
 _I want to break free, yeah_  
 _I want, I want, I want, I want to break free_

As the music played out, Julia applauded loudly with everyone in the audience before Skye was speaking and thanking everyone before there were a lot of loud groans. "Do they not want her to stop?" she asked. "Them," she corrected herself.

"I don't think so," Beckett said, smiling.

"Alright, one more?" Skye said, looking at her wife who nodded. She laughed and then went with her back to the drummer so they could talk to the rest of the band.

"What're they gonna sing?" Fleur asked Castle and Beckett since she and her sisters were next to Martha; Jim outside with the babies for the performance.

"I have no idea," Castle said honestly.

"Alright, who'd like to hear a song from another of my fellow Brits?" Skye asked. She smiled when there was some applause and she said, "Thank you John, Paul, George and Ringo!" before they were beginning to play, and she played the intro on the acoustic guitar that she had switched to while they'd been talking to the band. She sang the verses on her own, her wife joining her with the chorus and they smiled at each other as they could see their kids and others in the audience dancing immediately.

 _JoJo was a man who thought he was a loner_  
 _But he knew it wouldn't last_  
 _JoJo left his home in Tucson, Arizona_  
 _For some California grass_

 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belong_  
 _Get back JoJo, go home_

 _Get back, get back_  
 _Back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back, get back_  
 _Back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back Jo_

At the instrumental there Beckett wasn't surprised when her husband pulled her up a little more so she would stand; as he'd been trying to do since their friends and all the kids that could had started to dance too. She moved but focused more on the stage where Skye was walking back up to her mic and starting the next verse.

Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman  
But she was another man  
All the girls around her say she's got it coming  
But she gets it while she can

 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back Loretta, go home_

 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_

 _Get back, get back_  
 _Get back to where you once belonged_  
 _Get back, get back, get back_

Stopping there, Skye bowed with her wife at the applause and they left the stage once they'd shaken the hands of the band that was left, and they went together to the side where she soon found Beckett with their daughters. "Thanks," she called to her.

"They know we can go on rides," she told her friend. "We'll be outside." Beckett smiled when the women nodded before they turned to their daughters and she herself left them to walk out to where she saw her family was. She wasn't surprised when the girls were telling their grandfather all about the performances though she knew he'd heard them. She was a little startled when her husband gently pulled her away from the others and she squeezed his hand before he was leaning over to quickly brush his lips to hers. At first she was a little unsure if that was all he'd wanted to do when he began to speak, and she was soon smiling at his slightly forceful Irish though she was affected too.

" _I hate to talk about it again but tomorrow night I've thought of something I'd like to do_ ," Castle said.

" _That intense_?" Beckett asked him as she moved to take his arm while Skye and Mary were coming out from the back of the theater with their kids.

" _Well… not exactly_ ," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she looked at him in confusion before she kissed his cheek and he said, " _You trust me_?"

" _Of course_ ," Beckett said gently. When she saw his throat working to swallow heavily she squeezed his arm and then said to the women, "You did a great job."

"I'm so glad we did," Mary commented.

"You both were nervous?" David asked since the group was rejoining all of them.

"Yeah, we're not quite used to that of course," Skye answered. "So-"

"Wait," Eve interrupted. "Could we see the music video for the song?"

"I wanted to do that too," Julia said quickly before any of the adults could speak.

"Here," Skye told them, getting her phone out of her pocket. She handed it to Eliza; since everyone could gather around her to watch; and she walked away from them.

"Okay?" Beckett asked her.

"Yeah," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when her friend just studied her and said in Russian, " _I don't want to tell you_."

" _About your wife_?" Beckett asked since she could tell by the investigator's body language already.

Nodding Skye said, " _Same for you with your husband while you work_?"

Beckett merely nodded her head and she then said with a smile, " _You're going to the club tomorrow_."

"Nope," Skye said in English before she and Beckett were laughing together. She turned back to their families and friends and they walked back to them in time for the music video ending.

"Why did they dress like women?" Mari asked.

"There's a show in England they took that from. _Coronation Street_ ," Clara said first.

"It's still on… been on for ages," Brennan added. He smiled and then said, "But you enjoyed that."

When the kids all answered yes in some way Castle laughed and then said, "We have a little more time left. But what about the babies?" asking that last since the two were asleep by then.

"We can stay with them," Bethany said for herself and Martha.

"She's right, we're ready to remain in one place," Castle's mother said.

"You already know where you want to sit don't you?" Castle asked her.

"Of course, that shaded area by the Skyride," Martha said. "Out of the way of any roller coasters of course."

Walking together over there the two women were left with some hot tea that Castle and Nkosi had managed to find at one of the food places in the England area. They left without Maddy, Keo; the two falling asleep in their stroller; and Dani in her own shortly after while the tea had been purchased.

"Are we going around together?" Beckett asked the others, her eye on Eliza since the little girl was yawning widely on Castle's shoulders.

"You're going on the roller coasters, aren't you?" Darnley said before Castle was calling to his wife to their surprise.

"We should have just kept her over there," Beckett said since they weren't too far from the tables where Martha and Bethany were. She took Eliza, who was fast asleep, from her husband and kissed her; not surprised when the little girl made a sound of protest before she relaxed. She waited for her husband to say goodnight to her as well before they told her they loved her, and she handed her to her father.

"Mom," Eve was saying as she turned to her mother after Jim had left them.

"Yes, you guys can go on your own," Lily said first.

When the other parents agreed; including herself and Castle; Beckett said, "But you have to remember the height restrictions."

"We know, we'll just go on what we can all-" Jacob began before he was being interrupted.

"We'll take our three youngest," Skye said. She was surprised when the three girls protested, and she said, "What?"

"We want to go with them," Ivy said firmly.

"It's okay," Eve said first.

"Yeah, we'll still have fun," Erin said quickly.

"I don't doubt that," Clara said with a smile. "Alright, but no heading to the rides that they can't go on."

"Thank you," Skye and Mary said at the same time.

"Wait," Julia said suddenly. "You didn't tell us where we're going tomorrow," she told her father.

Smiling Castle said, "We should wait-" before he was interrupted by the kids all saying no together. He laughed and said, "Alright, we're going to the National Gallery of Art. Though should we change that?"

"We like art," Jacob said.

"Yeah, we always have, you don't know us," Eve said jokingly.

"Alright, go you guys and be back in England in an hour," Brad told his and Lily's oldest. He turned to the others, wondering who would say what ride they should go on first before Beckett was speaking.

"You know they're going over to the water ride," she said, looking at everyone.

"Which?" Castle asked. "Pompeii?"

"It's that Scoot one," Skye said. "Should we follow or leave them be?"

"Follow, I wouldn't really want to go to any more water rides the rest of the day," Darnley said. "Though our kids won't be there."

"Will you come back with them?" Beckett asked her friend as she fell into step with him once they were walking to the New France section.

"Sure, we're close to it," Darnley replied. "What about you? You're not close."

"We'll come back to DC when Josie's older," Beckett replied. She then said with a smile, "And you'll come back when they're older."

"I know," Darnley said. He then said, "Are we riding with you?"

"I'd like to," Beckett said with a smile at him.

"The kids?" Darnley asked.

"On their own," Beckett said, shaking her head. "They want to go on the rides themselves so we should let them."

"Not a surprise," Darnley said, nodding his head once before he saw they were walking through that area. When they reached the ride shortly after he was about to say he could see all the kids before Julia was waving rapidly to them. "Here we go," he said with a slight laugh as they moved to join the group that was at the exit to the ride in front of them.

* * *

"Tired?" Castle asked, looking at his wife and seeing she was yawning.

"I am," Beckett said with a sigh. She then smiled and said, "I figured I'd be alright."

"It's almost time for the park to close," Castle pointed out. They were in the Oktoberfest section, next to the restaurant where they'd had dinner. They were also alone, the couples all pairing off while the kids had been allowed to go on their own again. He had gotten tea for them while his wife had waited, and he handed her the cup he had, sitting next to her and telling her, "Park's emptying."

"Of course," Beckett said after she'd sipped at her tea. She leaned against him and said, "I didn't want today to go too quickly."

"I'm not surprised, but hey, the museum will go slowly," Castle told her.

"Do you really believe that?" Beckett asked him.

"Sorry," Castle said, since the next day was their last one full one in the city before they headed home.

"I wish he lived up in the Hamptons," Beckett said with a sigh.

Kissing the top of her head, Castle told her, "I know, but-"

"He said they would move if they could afford it," Beckett told him. She wasn't surprised when her husband seemed to freeze, and she looked up at him saying, "I asked him when we had dinner at their place. He would love to live close by to me but until he can buy a house up there they're staying here." She saw the way he was so obviously thinking, and she watched him, waiting for him to tell her what exactly was on his mind.

"What about Skye?" Castle told his wife.

"It would be weird to not have her in California," Beckett told him. "But I can see what you mean; my siblings living around us?"

"Something like that," Castle commented. He laughed when his wife lightly pinched him and then said, "Just a thought."

Beckett nodded, knowing he would feel that, before they listened to a train on Verbolten pass near them. She raised her head and said, "Should we go back and spend time with Josie?"

"I don't think she'd mind if we didn't go over there," Castle commented though he'd been thinking the same himself. He rubbed her upper arm and said, "They looked happy to go tomorrow."

Nodding with a smile, Beckett sat up and said, "They did, we've all taken our kids to art museums, why Rebecca and Brad were worried…"

"Well for Brad and Lily they were concerned about their kids," Castle said. "And I was the same way when Alexis was that age, worried she'd stop enjoying art. But it was pointless since she's loved it all this time. I'm sure Eve and Jake will be the same and if not we'll find out tomorrow."

Beckett squeezed her husband's hand and then said, "Let's start walking back."

Though he wanted to ask her what time it was, Castle realized she just wanted to walk. So he quickly stood and reached for her hand, taking it before they headed down the path nearby to start making their way back to their parents and two youngest daughters. They were both silent at first, watching everyone going by before he suddenly said, "I forgot to do something."

"Do you need to go back?" Beckett asked.

Thinking she was serious, Castle opened his mouth to tell her he'd wanted to kiss her, when he realized she'd been joking. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close before he said, "I guess now isn't the best time."

"Not really, there's the kids," Beckett said, seeing the large group in front of them included their daughter.

"Hey, I'll walk with my parents," Julia said when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She hurried back to her parents and hugged her mother first saying, "You want to walk with me?"

"That's why I called you," Castle said with a smile before he hugged her when she came to him. "What'd you guys just go on?"

"Alpengeist, they're gonna try to go on Pompeii," Julia told them as she took their hands.

"You don't want to go?" Castle asked.

"No, Rick we need to catch up with them," Beckett told him. When he looked at his watch she said with a smile, "We need to call them to come with us."

Nodding, Castle walked with the two of them to the exit of the ride as the group of kids were in sight the entire time. When they caught up to them he had them walk in front though he and his wife remained with their daughter until they were gathering together at the tables where everyone else was arriving from their time going through the rides. When they had everything, they walked to the entrance and then left the park to go back to their cars.

"This was the best day," Julia said to her mother, walking with her since Castle was carrying Eliza who was still asleep. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Neither can I," Beckett said with a nod of agreement. She smiled when her daughter wrapped her arm around her and looked at her husband when he touched her shoulder. She reached out to him, squeezing his hand tightly as they smiled at one another, knowing they were both thinking of their last day in DC and looking forward to their chance to spend more time with their family and friends.


	33. Through A Thousand Centuries

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: It was great to see what I managed to get for the last chapter so will go straight to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I was happy to see you liked how the day went for them. And of course, I was glad that you thought it was good writing. So nice to see you liked the Queen song I picked as I love that song myself),

MononenMinna (You're very welcome for the chapters. It was great that you think I'm doing a good job every time. And I'm happy you liked how I described the roller coasters since I don't go on them myself as I'm scared of them too; I used YouTube to write them, lol. And I figured Eliza would be okay not going on some of the rides as she would find them intimidating, especially Griffon. I'm glad that you like Ivy and Iris and the fact that they like their new family and how they interact with other girls. So nice to read you find that interesting to read about. And I'm happy that this is one of your favorite stories!) and

Mb (Yeah, Busch Gardens looks like it's really great and that's why I chose to have them go there, areas themed to areas of the world. And though I'm not big on water rides I think I'd ride Pompeii multiple times too, lol. I'm not surprised that you hold onto the shoulder harnesses once they come down on you, if I ever went on a ride with that I would be doing the same myself, lol. Great that you saw they were having a fun time all together. Your comment about Jim and Martha, if you're wondering if anything might happen between them- I'm just guessing at what you said- I can tell you right now that nothing will. It's not really something I can see, and it would be a bit weird in my eyes to be honest, plus I have said that Jim still misses Johanna so yeah, it wouldn't work. But I'm not surprised you mentioned them doing that, I see it more as a parent/grandparent thing. Glad to see you thought it was a fun chapter for all. You're welcome for the first half! It was nice to see that you thought it was fun times in the second half. And I'm glad you were laughing at Castle talking about what Josie was talking about at 3 ½ months, lol. Not surprised that people think babies are talking in a way even then, lol. I'm not surprised you mentioned the Queen song with Bohemian Rhapsody coming out this past Friday. When I wrote them singing that song I'd discovered the music video to the song they sang, and I just love the song, so I had to include it. There may be future Queen songs too, lol. I'm not surprised you agree that Beckett would love Darnley and his family living close to them in the Hamptons. I'm also really happy that you think it would be weird if Skye wasn't in California. I'm glad that you thought this vacation; almost over as you said; was a fantastic one. And you're welcome for the second half of the chapter too!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them all and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Dream Away_ by George Harrison, from his album _Gone Troppo_.

Through A Thousand Centuries

"I should warn you guys," Darley said as they stood together after having bought their tickets to the National Gallery of Art. "This place is huge and there's a lot to see."

"We should just walk," Brad said.

"And if we separate don't make a big deal out of it," Lily commented. She smiled when her husband looked at her and told them, "It's true, we'll be going at different speeds."

"We should just start," Rebecca said, picking Dani up as the toddler hadn't wanted to go in her stroller. She held her against her hip and said, "We all have phones, right?"

"We do," Becket said first. "Let's go into this room here." She was surprised when her friend started to laugh, and she looked at him questioningly.

"Photographs," Darnley said simply. "But they do have drawings too."

"Does anyone-" Beckett started to say.

"That's as good a place to start as any," Castle interrupted her. "Really, we'll just start making our way through this floor, stop for lunch and then hit… go up to the next."

"Weird choice of words," Brennan said as they walked together to the first room.

"I know, better the kids don't hear that," Castle said before he studied the map. "Oh, you were talking about the second floor," he said to Darnley who was near them.

Nodding the detective said, "I was, but still these rooms down here are good-" He had to stop as Eliza was gasping loudly and then squealing while looking at something on the wall. "Sized," he finished before Castle went to join his wife and daughter.

"Mommy! See Mommy, it's a horsie!" Eliza was telling her.

"I see," Beckett replied, smiling at Julia who'd taken a picture of the daguerreotype in front of them. It was of a man and little girl, a dog on the man's lap and a horse behind them.

"When is this from?" Julia asked.

"It says around 1845," Castle said as he read the date. He glanced at Eliza and saw the frown on her face, taking her from Beckett so his wife could take a picture. "What's wrong?' he asked the little girl.

"Why is the horse blurry?" Eliza said.

"It's moving, these types of pictures you needed to stay still for a very long time so the shot would go onto the plate they used," Castle said. He looked at his wife and asked, "Should I explain more?"

"The process?" Beckett asked him. When he nodded she smiled and shook her head telling him, "Probably better you don't, let's keep moving because there's a lot more."

"I'm going with Mari," Julia said, hurrying over to her friend before she was with her. They walked through several rooms before coming into one that had paintings and she said, "Finally, I thought there was only pictures."

Laughing softly Mari said, "Me too," before they were starting to walk along the walls and eventually she and Julia exchanged a glance of confusion at the art they were seeing.

"Here," Beckett said, smiling when her daughter jumped a little. "It doesn't matter if you look at the map."

"Thanks, but I don't know where we are," Julia told her.

"There," Beckett said. "The last room of the American Decorative Arts and Paintings."

"Oh… I thought we were, but I wasn't sure," Julia said. "So… what's next?" she asked after looking at the map again.

"Sculptures," Castle said, smiling at her.

Julia handed the map back to her mother so she could get her camera ready and she started taking pictures of the sculptures they were passing.

"Are you taking a picture of them all?" Mari asked as she'd been watching her.

"No," Julia said, smiling at her. "I wouldn't have any room on my card for everything upstairs."

"Julia," Alexis called to her sister softly.

Looking up at her, Julia saw that she and Mari had fallen behind, and she took her friend's hand before they hurried over to their parents who were standing at a tall sculpture. "Oh," she said in surprise when she really looked at it. "She's a dancer."

"This is a famous sculpture," Beckett told her. "By Degas." She smiled when her daughter immediately began doing so as she had shown her daughter the artist's work when it pertained to ballet dancers when she was younger. " _Little Dancer Aged Fourteen_ ," she told her as they watched the girl walk around the sculpture.

"She has a really nice stance," Julia finally said, standing in front of the girl. She took a quick picture and then said, "Is there more from him?"

"There is," Castle said slowly, looking at his wife.

Watching Mari hurry to her parents when David called her, Julia looked back at her own parents and said, "They're naked aren't they?"

"They are," Beckett said first. "And they're called nudes."

Nodding her head, Julia walked with them and studied the nude sculptures but since the material they were made from distorted the body a little she didn't see why her father had hesitated about them and she told him so.

"Well… I'm sure it's not something you want to see," Castle told her.

"I've seen it before," Julia protested. "I'm fine."

"And the paintings?" Castle said.

"Rick," Beckett said simply.

"Sorry," Castle said as Julia walked ahead of them. "She's not disgusted, is she?"

"No," Beckett said with a smile. "She wants to join her friends… friend," she said.

"What?" Castle said when she trailed off.

Beckett shook her head before she walked quickly over to Julia and Mari who were studying a sculpture of a bather in time to hear a bit of what they were saying.

"-I never thought of it like that… that's cool though," Mari said with a smile.

"Mom," Julia said, startled the feel herself slightly annoyed with her mother when she saw her nearby. "Are you eavesdropping?"

"Come here," Beckett said firmly, putting her hand on her shoulder and pulling her behind everyone else. "What are you talking about?"

"What if everyone here in the city lived up with us in the Hamptons," Julia nearly snapped before she stopped herself. "I… Mom I'm sorry," she said as she realized how she'd been speaking. "I didn't think you trusted me; that you thought I'd talk about Family Life with her."

"Not that, but I was wondering if you'd mention the nudes in the art and I'm not sure Rebecca and David would want her thinking of that," Beckett said. "But calm down okay?"

"I know I just…" Julia said. "I hate being a kid sometimes."

"We just want to make sure you're a kid for as long as possible," Beckett told her, wrapping her arm around her so they could follow the others who were continuing to their last section of the bottom floor.

"Yeah… but I can still look right?" Julia asked.

"Of course, it's art," Beckett said, smiling at her before she let her go and watched her walk away to rejoin Mari who was with Jacob and Marie. She felt her husband's hand on her back and she smiled at her saying, "That was… interesting."

"Think she'll rebel?" Castle asked her, watching her take pictures of what they were passing.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Tell me something, does she remind you of Alexis?"

"A lot," Castle said, nodding his head. "Good thing too. But why…"

Knowing what her husband meant by that Beckett said, "She doesn't want us thinking she's just going to look at the art for the nudes. She interested in looking-"

"Who isn't," Castle interrupted. He then realized what he'd said and said, "No, wait, sorry that's not what I meant."

"I got it," Beckett said. "But she wants to be… sophisticated."

"I think you mean like you," Castle told her. When she turned to him he said, continuing in Irish, " _I'm serious. You are love, and she wants to be like you remember. You love art and she wants to do that too… though I think she already does_."

Beckett smiled and said, "She does," before she kissed his cheek. "Come on love, they're finishing the last room." They finished themselves soon after before they were at the entrance and she said, "Is anyone hungry?" asking the kids specifically.

"Alright, calm down you lot," Clara said with a smile when the younger kids were calling out that they were. "We're going but outside."

"Outside?" Eve asked in surprise.

"Yes, but we're coming back inside," Darnley said. "And we're going through upstairs after that. We have to walk off lunch."

While they were going out, Julia hurried to her mother and took her hand saying, "I can't wait to see the really nice paintings."

"I agree, horses?" Beckett asked. She smiled when Julia was giggling heavily; while she nodded; and she was relieved that they seemed to be over the slight disagreement from before. By then they'd reached the fountain in front of the museum and she looked to her daughter to see her reaction to the Pavilion Café where they would be eating. When Julia had stopped turning around she was about to ask her if she liked it before the girl was hugging her tightly and speaking very enthusiastically and rapidly at the same time.

"This is so cool; can we walk through after the museum?" Julia was saying.

"You want to get to the art inside first?" Castle asked with a smile as he'd been listening to her.

"Yeah, it looks really cool," Julia replied. She then realized what she'd said and told her parents, "I mean it will be really cool."

"It will," Beckett said. "Let's follow everyone though, they've gone into the restaurant." She walked with Castle and Julia inside before they went into line with the rest of their family.

"Eliza said she wants a hot dog," Jim said to his daughter when he saw her.

"Why don't you try the pizza?" Beckett suggested. "That's what I'll get."

"You are?" the little girl asked with wide eyes.

Beckett took her daughter with a smile and then said, "It'll be a grown up one but you two can taste it."

"Mom, what do I need to get?" Julia asked as she had looked at the menu but wasn't sure what the age limit was.

Castle left them quickly then and hearing that the age limit was ten went back to his family telling Julia, "You'll have to choose from the adult menu."

"Try the four-cheese flatbread," Beckett told her.

"I'll give you some turkey from my sandwich," Castle told them. "I'll order extra. Mother, Jim what would you guys like?"

After giving him their orders, Castle's mother headed over to the tables outside with Jim, seeing the others in their group were doing so as well. "How are your grandchildren?" she asked Bethany as they were sitting at tables around each other.

"Wonderful, they have been here before," Nkosi's mother said. "They seem to realize that we must be very quiet." She watched as Jim took Josie out of her carrier and held her against his chest, about to say the baby seemed to have grown bigger while they'd been there when Josie started to whimper.

"Does she need her mother?" Jim asked Martha.

"No, I think she's fussing," Castle's mother said with a smile before he stood to walk around.

"You've been here before," Jim said, hoping the baby wouldn't mind him talking while he was getting her settled. "You don't mind coming back?"

"Do you go to the museums in the city often?" Joseph asked him.

Laughing briefly Jim said, "You make a good point. I just wonder because your grandchildren are so young. I've always had one who was old enough to appreciate the art."

"That is why they want to take Maddy and Keo," Bethany said, smiling at her grandson on her lap. "So they will start soon. Also, they both seem to enjoy it here… but we are not sure why."

"They've never told you?" Jim asked.

Shaking his head Joseph said, "They have kept that a secret, but we believe Patrick proposed to our son here."

"Here is very vague," Martha commented. "This museum is… enormous."

"They want to keep that between them?"

"I imagine Patrick would tell Kate," Joseph commented.

"Most likely," Jim said with a smile at the man before he sat down again with Josie, letting the baby play with his fingers as they waited for lunch to arrive.

"Is she alright?" Beckett asked her father when she saw he was holding the baby.

"She's fine, she was fussing," Jim began. "But I was able to calm her down. It's alright," he then added when his daughter tried to take her.

"How're you gonna eat Grandpapa?" Eliza asked him, sitting on the chair next to his though her father had picked her up.

"I'll be fine," Jim said since he had gotten a flatbread as well.

"Let me cut it up for you," Beckett told him. As she began to do so she then said, "This is… odd."

"It is," Jim said with a smile as he knew what she meant. "But I suppose it's only fair."

"You cut up Mommy's food?" Eliza asked.

"Of course, when she was your age," Jim said. "Thank you, Katie," he told her as she finished.

"Enjoy," Beckett told him with a smile. She sat in the chair next to him and looked at Julia who was eating her flatbread. "How is it sweetie?" she asked her.

"Good, especially with the turkey," the girl said, smiling at her father as he'd sprinkled that on her flatbread as well as her mother's and grandfather's. "You don't want any Gram?"

"I'm just fine," Martha said, starting on her pasta au gratin. She was about to tell Beckett what they'd talked with Nkosi's parents about while they'd been waiting but Darnley was suddenly going over to her daughter in law as they watched.

"I want to go off with Trev after we're back inside," the detective was saying to his friend. "Where I proposed to him."

"Why are you telling me?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Because we've never told anyone where that place was. We want to keep that between us," Darnley answered.

"You know everyone's aware of where I proposed to Kate," Castle commented.

"But you don't need to tell us," Beckett said, smiling at her friend. "Do you need us to wait for you?"

"That would be nice," Darnley said slowly.

"We will, don't worry," Beckett assured him, still smiling. She squeezed his hand and then said, "Go back and eat."

"Sure," Darnley replied as he squeezed her hand back and then returned to his family's table.

"Mom, what's wrong with us knowing where that place was?" Julia asked as she'd been able to hear the detective easily.

"They want it to be special between them," Castle explained before Beckett could say anything. "And that makes sense," he said, looking at his wife.

"It does," Beckett said in amusement before she turned her attention to her father and Josie.

When they had finished their meal, the group got up and as they left the outdoor seating for the restaurant Darnley and Nkosi left them once the former spoke quickly to Beckett again. She watched the two go before she turned and saw the others were watching her.

"I'm guessing they didn't tell you where in the garden they were going," Castle said, not watching his wife but the others.

"No, but it is here," Beckett replied. "They want us to wait here, we can go around these sculptures or head inside and wait for them."

"How long are they going to take?" Clara asked as they walked over to some shaded grass as their kids had taken off for it.

"Who knows?" Beckett said. She smiled and said, "I don't think they'll be that long; I think they're taking the opportunity since they're here."

"When did they get engaged?" Brennan asked his cousin.

"In February, I think at the end of the month," Beckett said, looking at Bethany and Joseph.

"It was the last weekend, ten years ago," the latter said first with a nod. He smiled and said, "They kept it between them for a bit and told us the Friday after."

"But we thought something had happened between them," Bethany said with a smile. "They were very happy."

"Are they going to renew their vows?" Lily asked. "Wait, never mind. I feel weird asking you about that and not them," she told Beckett.

"I know," she replied. "I have no idea though." Beckett turned her attention to Josie then and when she was sure that the baby was alright she let her mother in law stay with the stroller.

"Hey Mom," Julia said, smiling at her when she walked over to where she was with Mari, Ivy and Eve.

"What're you guys doing?" Beckett asked them.

"Just talking," Eve said. "And apparently Ivy's really good at braiding hair."

"I can tell," Beckett said, seeing she was plaiting Eve's hair into a fish tail braid.

"Do you want me to do your hair?" Ivy asked, obviously a little shyly.

"That's alright," Beckett told her. "Will you be ready to head back inside?"

"Yeah," Julia said first, smiling at her mother before she went to wrap her arm around her. "I told Ivy about the paintings."

"She's never been to an art museum before," Mari added.

"Or my sister," Ivy said, tying off the end of the braid in Eve's hair. "But it's nice to see. I want to see more paintings too."

"Oh, you will," Mary said as she, Skye and Castle walked over to them. She took the little girl's hand and said, "They're on their way," to Beckett.

Turning back towards the café, she smiled when she saw her friend and Nkosi walking over to them. Beckett felt a hand take hers and she squeezed Julia's before they were all together again and going back towards the museum. When they were up on the second floor she went straight to Darnley and she was about to tell him about Lily's questioning when her friend spoke first to everyone else.

"We'll do what we did downstairs," Darnley was saying. "Go around until we make it back to these stairs."

"What's here first?" Skye asked.

"You have maps," Nkosi said before he smiled at the kids who were starting to turn to their parents. "It is art from Italy, France and Spain. From the 1600s to the 1700s."

"A long time ago," Eliza was saying to Fleur as they were walking together.

"Very long ago," the little girl said before she was giggling with Eliza.

Walking around the room with Mari, Julia stopped with her at a painting of a girl holding a lute and she said, "Look at her hair."

"I know," Mari replied. She smiled and said, "She looks like Skye a little bit."

"You mean when I'm playing my guitar?" a voice said behind the two. Skye smiled at the girls and told them, "Sorry, I could hear you. But you're right, from the pictures your mum has taken of me," she directed to Julia. "I suppose I do look serious."

"Don't you kind of need to be?" Julia pointed out as they were continuing. "Remembering chords and everything."

"Good point," Skye said with a smile at her. She then headed over to her youngest who was on her own at a window looking out to where they'd eaten dinner. "Alright lass?" she asked, wrapping her arm around her.

"Yeah," Iris said shyly. She reached for her hand and said, "Tomorrow we go to our home?"

"Mmm-hmm," Skye told her with a smile. "We're all so excited to take you there so you can see your rooms."

"We don't have to share?" Ivy asked, walking to them.

"Oh no, there are more than enough for all of us," Skye replied. "But that's it you'll hear about it. Though you should know we don't really have much for the room except paint and furniture."

"Really?" Iris asked.

"Yes, we needed to get something for you of course," Skye said, smiling at her wife as they approached her and their three other kids. "We need to make sure to give a detailed tour of our house grá."

"Of course," Mary said, picking up Iris once she came over to her. "But you know that your sisters shouldn't have told you anything."

"We didn't Mom," Kathleen said first.

"Yeah, we know it's a big surprise. But it's a really cool house," Marie said before she directed the last to her littlest sisters.

"Fleur," Eliza said eagerly when they were coming to some French paintings. "Look, she's from France!"

"Oh… that's from a long time ago," Fleur said with a smile.

"But she's actually from Sweden," Beckett said. She smiled when the others turned to her and Darnley who she was with and she told the McDouglases and her daughter, "She was a friend of the Queen of Sweden. Your sister knows the name." She was about to look for Julia so she could see the painting when her husband walked over and began to murmur into her ear quickly.

"They're still in the next room," Castle told his wife. He took her arm as she turned, thinking she'd run after their daughter and Mari when she glanced at his hand. "What?" he asked her.

"I wasn't going to run," Beckett said. "I could tell by how fast you grabbed me," she explained when he looked surprised. "No, I'm going to get her but calmly."

"Sorry," Castle said.

"Don't worry, I don't want her getting too far but she doesn't need me smothering her," Beckett said before she went back into the room they'd just gone too.

"Hey Mom," Julia said, smiling at her mother as she looked away from the painting she and Mari were studying. "Is… where is everyone?" she asked.

"We moved to the next room," Beckett told the two girls with a smile. "Come on, there's a painting you should see."

Julia was surprised before she saw what her father and sisters were standing in front of. "Who-" she began to say before she read the title. "She's in my book," she said in surprise. "My one about Queen Christina!" She looked at her sister and said, "She was the queen's best friend, but they didn't really see each other a lot."

"It says she owned this painting," Alexis said as she'd read the plaque next to the painting.

"What was her name?" Eliza asked, studying the woman from the 17th century who was wearing a blue gown and holding a wreath of flowers at the bottom of the picture.

" _Countess Ebba Sparre_ ," Castle read for her with a smile as all three girls were studying the painting. He wanted to ask Julia if she liked the blue of the gown when his wife was taking his hand gently and squeezing it tightly.

"We need to keep going, everyone's getting ahead of us," Beckett told everyone. As they were finishing that section she let go of her husband's hand to get her map and she told their daughters; Mari having gone ahead of them to her family, "These are going to be paintings from the Netherlands and Germany from 1400 to 1500."

Taking pictures of some of the paintings, Julia's eyes caught sight of a profile painting and she went over to it, looking at the dress of the woman in it. "Blue again," she told her mother as the dress was a blue brocade with gold.

"In those days blue was a very rich color, this shade might have been expensive," Beckett said, glancing around for Castle.

"I thought purple was," Julia commented.

"That too," Beckett said with a smile before she saw her husband was walking over to them.

"My Spidey senses were tingling," Castle told them. "I sensed you needed an explanation."

Beckett rolled her eyes before she told him what she'd guessed about the color blue ending with, "I thought I'd heard that."

"Oh, you're right," Castle said with a nod. "That shade was likely expensive, so that kind of fabric was definitely precious."

Julia smiled when her mother squeezed Castle's hand and they started to walk through that section until they'd reached the paintings that were Dutch and Flemish from the 17th century. In the second room on portrait caught her eye and she said with a smile to her parents, "Pink this time."

"I know, see the pearls at her shoulder?" Beckett asked. She and her daughter were alone and after a while she was going to take her hand so they could continue. But she noticed the look on her daughter's face and instead touched her shoulder gently.

"What's her name?" Julia asked.

" _Catherine Howard, Lady d'Aubigny_ ," Beckett read from the plaque. "She's British."

Nodding Julia asked what she'd been thinking of before her first question, "Is that what she would wear to court?"

"It is, in that time period that's how the dresses were," Beckett said. "You've seen them before."

"I was wondering if they'd really show that much skin at court," Julia said, taking her mother's hand before they were walking through the rest of the time period of paintings.

"Jim," Darnley was saying to Beckett's father after they'd gone out to the rotunda and had gone past the statue of Mercury. "You'll enjoy this room."

"Just one room?" David asked as they were passing into it.

"One room," Nkosi said. "They have this one dedicated to Goya's art."

Smiling, as that was one of her father's favorite painters, Beckett said, "You're right, he will enjoy it," as they followed him with some of the kids.

"Look at the puppy!" Eliza said eagerly as they were looking at the painting of the Marquesa de Pontejos. "And her dress."

"Grandpapa is this one from the same artist?" Julia said, looking at the next one already and noticing a difference in clothing on the woman in it that she saw was called _Thérése Louise de Sureda_. When he nodded she was going to ask how many years after the 1700s painting was the other she had noticed when Mari was telling her why.

"That was in the 1800s and the waists went up higher and there were really tall collars," Mari said. "And that was… twenty years apart?"

"After this painting?" Rebecca asked her daughter since the little girl had been talking to her. When Mari nodded she said, "It was."

"Yeah, that's why, long enough time to change the fashions," the little girl said. She studied the painting again and said, "It looks like a coat maybe but that's weird 'cause coats were for traveling."

"Maybe that's the design," Erin suggested.

"Maybe," Mari said slowly before they started to walk again to look at the rest of the paintings.

When they'd finished in the room, Darnley raised his hands as he was getting their attention and laughed when his husband playfully hit his left arm with the folded map which he couldn't even feel. "Alright, so next are a lot of rooms with…"

"Thank you for stopping," Skye said as she'd been looking at the map herself. "They're paintings from France _mon petite_ ," she said to Fleur.

Wrapping her arms around the investigator's waist the little girl asked, "When _Maman_?"

"The 1700s and early 1800s," Mary said with a smile. She cupped the back of Fleur's head when she reached for her hand before they began to walk.

After seeing the artwork in the first room, Castle went quickly to Darnley and Nkosi who were looking at a painting of two dogs with their kids and he grabbed the former's shoulder gently. "Do they have Boucher here?" he asked, keeping his voice down.

"Three, we're coming up to them," Darnley said, keeping his voice down as well. "You're lucky she's not with us."

Glancing at his wife, Castle nodded and then said, "I'll take her now."

"One's in this first room, the other two are in the one straight ahead past it," Darnley explained quickly.

Nodding, Castle went to his wife and grabbed her arm gently as she'd been taking pictures out of a window. He pulled her gently into the next room as he was looking around swiftly while he knew she was watching him.

"What is it Rick?" Beckett asked him.

Smiling Castle pulled her over to a painting, hoping his knowledge of the artist was good enough. Seeing that he'd been right he turned to his wife as he was smiling, and he told her, "They have Boucher here love."

Turning to the painting herself, Beckett glanced at the plaque and saw that he was right. It was a painting by one of her favorite artists called _Madame Bergeret_ , of a woman in a grey 1760s gown. She took a picture and then said, "Julia will like the blue bow."

"I thought of that," Castle said, nodding his head. He then said, "They'll both love the flowers."

"They will," Beckett said, about to go over to the painting next to it when her husband was taking her hand. "My mistake, I thought we were going… back," she started to say before he pulled her over to the next room instead of back with everyone. She looked at him pointedly but saw he was looking around again. She was about to do that herself when he was pulling her over to a painting and she smiled saying, "That's what you were talking to Patrick about."

"You saw that," Castle said.

"Of course," Beckett replied. "And good idea asking him about that," she told him, squeezing his arm after she'd taken a picture of the painting which was called _Love Letter_. She studied it and said, "That poor pigeon."

Nodding, as the two women in it were tying a ribbon with a letter attached to it around the neck of the bird, Castle said, "Should have used an owl." He smiled when his wife laughed, and he hugged her to him for a moment though there wasn't much contact between them. "Ready?" he asked.

"How many paintings do they have?" Beckett asked him in surprise.

"Patrick said three," Castle said before he looked at the artwork more closely.

Taking a quick photo of _The Bath of Venus_ , Beckett leaned in closer and studied the bottom of it saying, "He did an amazing job with the water."

"He did," Castle agreed, studying it as well. When his wife came back to him to stand with him he said, "I wanted to show you these…"

" _Bhí tú ag iarraidh a bheith ina n-aonar liomsa_?" Beckett said, which meant the words you wanted to be alone with me.

" _Nuair nach féidir liom_?" Castle said, saying when did he not.

Beckett smirked at him before she said in Irish, " _I know but for now_ …"

"Yeah," Castle said as she took his hand. He followed her over to the rest of their friends and family, wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her a little closer while they had the chance as they continued through the rest of the museum.

* * *

"I wonder," Bethany said. "Why your youngest granddaughter seems to love tigers so much."

"I don't know," Jim said with a smile as he looked down at Josie who was cradled in his arms. "My son in law likes to joke that she's trying to tease them."

"That would be impressive if she was," Joseph said laughingly. He handed the stuffed tiger the baby's parents had bought for her at the museum's gift shop. He then said, "I wonder when we will next see you all."

"Soon Joseph," Darnley said, coming over with Keo and Beckett.

"My cousin just extended the invitation for Christmas to everyone here," Beckett said, checking on Josie carefully as she was still wet from the pool.

"Is everyone going?" Bethany asked in surprise.

"They are," Darnley answered. "But Trev and I wanted to ask you two if you were alright with going to England in December."

"I do not see a problem with that," Joseph said, looking at his wife.

"Neither do I," Bethany replied, smiling at her grandson that she was drying at that moment. She kissed the top of his head before he made a sound of exclamation and said, "But tell them I insist on making some dishes for Christmas Eve dinner."

"Okay," Darnley said with a smile. "Is she alright?"

"She is," Beckett said, grabbing her sarong on an empty chair at one of the tables. She tied it on and said, "What was the big secret?" looping her arm through his loosely.

"I wanted to explain a little more about all the secrecy," Darnley told her once they were walking along the windows.

"You don't need to," Beckett said, surprised.

"Not everything," Darnley said, smiling at her. "The spot isn't a sculpture but a tree. Not a special tree but just a random one where we were having a picnic lunch, just talking about… us and kids and our home we'd just moved into together."

"I can see why you proposed," Beckett told him with a smile as he was looking out the window but not at anything in particular. "You were very happy," she commented. "And very much in love." She was startled when he suddenly frowned and said, "What is it?"

"No, I remember; well after we'd left the garden," Darnley began. "That I hoped you were finding the kind of love that I was."

"I was a little away from that," Beckett said slowly. "But I was close," she continued since he'd proposed to his husband shortly before she and Castle had worked the case where they had ended up locked in the frozen shipping container.

Nodding Darley sat on one of the chairs for two along the windows and said once she'd joined him, "What if you'd managed to get out the full I love you?"

"I don't know," Beckett said honestly. She looked over at the pool to where her husband was playfully hopping in the water with Eliza squealing on his back. She smiled and then said, "Believe me I've thought that out for a long time. But that's not what happened."

"Hmm, you should work that into your 20's story," Darnley said.

Beckett laughed and said, "They're already together; it wouldn't work."

"Well, at least it's worked out for us both," Darnley replied. He felt her taking his hand in between his and said, "I almost went up to him," finally confessing.

"I figured," Beckett replied, squeezing his hand gently.

"I want my mom to see her grandkids," Darnley confessed.

"Would their race be a problem?" Beckett asked though it took her a while to say that as she was hesitating.

"Probably, that and the fact they have two fathers," Darnley said, nearly hissing out the words. "I just want a family for the kids," he said after remaining quiet for a while. He breathed out and then looked around at everyone before he looked at his friend, who was smiling.

"Go ahead, I agree with you completely," Beckett told him.

"This is what it's like isn't it?" Darnley said in amazement. "Slight disagreements but no insulting or bullying and being happy to see each other."

"It is," Beckett said. "But remember I experienced this with you first; I never had a large family."

Nodding his head Darnley said, "Did I help at all?"

"Of course," Beckett told him swiftly and with a smile. "I'm glad you'll be with us for Christmas again."

"I couldn't say no to seeing you again; but damn it December is way too far away," Darnley said.

"You should go with Trev to the finale if I make it that far on the show," Skye said, walking over to them.

"He's going to go?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Oh aye," Skye said, smiling as Darnley moved out of the chair for her. "Some of my fellow investigators are planning to go to the very last show if I make it there."

"Then I'll be there… but we'd have to come right back to the city after," Darnley said. "Would you fly to NYC?"

"I would need to," Skye said with a nod. "We'd be on GMA."

"Come for Thanksgiving," Beckett said suddenly to Darnley. When he looked at her she told him, "They're going to be there; come with the kids and your in-laws."

"It would just be us; my in-laws are heading to South Africa again since we'll be home to be with the kids," Darnley explained. "But we'll definitely accept. So I'll see you sooner."

"Yes," Beckett said. She was startled from continuing to speak when Skye stood up and took Darnley with her back to the pool. She very shortly after saw why the investigator had done that and smiled as her husband sat next to her, drying off his hair. "Hey love," she told him.

"Hey, _not going to do anything_ ," Castle said, speaking in Irish after he'd greeted her. " _Too risky, but I wanted to see what the conversation was all about but looks like I ended it_." He was going to say more when his wife leaned her head on his shoulder and he put his towel on his lap as he held her to his side before she began to relate to him what she had spoken with her friends about.

"I know we were only planning on having Skye and her family over," Beckett told him.

"It doesn't matter," Castle said, smiling at her. "I get the feeling you knew I was going to say that already."

Smiling Beckett said, "I had a feeling." She looked out on the pool and said, "They're coming to England for Christmas too."

"Good," Castle said, running his hand up and down her back before he saw that Eliza was coming over to them. "Get your towel," he told the little girl.

Pausing, Eliza hurried without running the best she could over to her grandmother who handed her her beach towel. She wrapped it around herself and then walked carefully to her parents, laughing when her mother started to rub her dry.

"Okay," Beckett told her. She then picked her up and placed her on her lap before she said, "Did you get tired of swimming?"

"No, I wanted to sit with you," Eliza said, turning and cuddling against her mother.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Beckett said, "Want to take a nap?"

"No," Eliza said, sighing as her mother had pulled her thumb from her mouth.

"You still wanted to be a baby?" Castle guessed. When the little girl nodded shyly he said, "I'm not surprised."

"You don't need to suck your thumb for this though," Beckett then told her, caressing her hair. "Now we need to go back to the pool soon-" she began before the little girl was leaning back so she could look at her and Castle.

"Mommy are you sad?" Eliza asked.

"A little but we will see them again soon," Beckett reminded her, knowing why her daughter had asked that. "And the day isn't over yet you know."

"True," Castle said as Eliza wrinkled her nose. "But your mom was right, we should head back to the pool."

"Are we gonna get to swim at home?" the little girl said.

"Of course, it'll still be summer when we go back tomorrow," Beckett said with a smile before she helped Eliza down. She stood up and took off her sarong before she took it and the little girl's towel to set them aside. Watching their daughter go right to the steps and head into the water she smiled at her husband as he placed his hand on the small of her back. "Going to swim?" she asked.

"I'd like to," Castle said with a nod.

"Rick," Beckett said simply as he was rubbing his hand back and forth on her skin.

"Yeah, the water," Castle said, forcing himself over to the deep end where he could dive.

"Should I comment on that?" Lily asked Beckett as she walked over to her once her friend had stepped into the water.

"And if it was Brad?" Beckett said simply. She laughed when her friend lightly splashed her, and she told her, "Not really fair when you're holding Sophie."

"I know," Lily replied easily. She laughed when Beckett lightly pinched her upper arm and said, "You figured he'd suppress it."

"We had to for a while," Beckett said simply. "And we really need to talk about something else." She wasn't surprised when her friend nodded, and she asked her about her family's plans once they got home the next morning.

"I'm really glad we live close… to each other," Eve started to say before she sighed. "Sorry," she said to Erin and the oldest McDouglas twins.

"It doesn't matter," Erin said first. "You'll all be at our home for Christmas. That's so fun, there's usually snow and we can snowshoe all over. Da can go cross country skiing and if you want to you can too. And we have hills to sled down."

"I can't imagine snow falling," Marie said. When the others looked at her she said, "Really, I can't 'cause we never went to where it was snowing."

"And it's summer," Kathleen pointed out to her.

"Yeah, and we have the show still," Julia said. "And they're not even announcing the cast until the end of the month."

"At least it's this month," Mari reminded her.

"Still a while," Julia said before she watched the others swim off to play Marco Polo. "Are you ready?" she asked her friend as they swam to the side to hold onto it.

"I guess, I still don't know what we're going to do… do you?" Mari asked.

Julia was a little confused but turned to look behind her and smiled when she saw her mother swimming over with Skye. "That's a good question; do you know what we would do?"

"That remains to be seen," the investigator said. "But you'll all be there of course. Why don't you go play with them?"

"We have been," Julia said.

"But we're not taking naps," Mari said hurriedly.

Laughing Beckett said, "True but what would you like to do instead?"

"Ask about dinner," Julia said.

Beckett laughed softly and said, "I'm not surprised you did. And we need to get out soon for that anyway, we're having a picnic."

"Really?" Julia said in surprise.

"Yes, and we're having the tea again," Beckett said.

"Really?" Julia said, wincing when she realized she had repeated herself.

"We requested it," Skye said. "Well… more me since you lot had it yesterday. I'd like a taste."

"Where are you going?" Beckett asked in surprise as her friend had pulled herself out of the pool.

"See where on earth Ivy went," Skye said as she'd looked around and hadn't seen her daughter. She grabbed her towel and then went to the changing room, stepping inside to hear soft sobbing. "Ivy," she said gently, finding the little girl curled up in a corner. She ran her hand over her hair before she then picked her up and held her on her hip as she walked over to a bench. She didn't say anything, holding Ivy against her as she let her cry.

"I-I… I don't want to go to a new home," the little girl sobbed as she slowed down a bit.

"I can imagine," Skye replied. "But this isn't a foster home."

"Are you s-sure?" Ivy asked.

"Oh of course, just a bit done back at home in California and you'll be our daughter," Skye said, smiling at Mary who'd walked in. "You and your sister."

"And you want us t-to be? Not just because you feel sorry for us?" Ivy asked, letting Mary dry her cheeks.

"If we adopted every kid we met that we felt sorry for," the doctor commented. "Then we'd have a lot of kids."

"Your sister was one of a number of children in that plane crash," Skye said.

"She was? Oh… I thought it was just her," Ivy said slowly.

"No, they were coming here to be adopted. Actually I suppose you could say that we tend to have a soft spot for those that need families," Skye said.

"That would be because of you _grá_ ," Mary said with a slight smile.

Seeing that Ivy was looking at them in confusion, Skye sighed and said, "I should tell you and your sister now… Come inside Iris."

Ivy turned to the doorway leading into the room and she said, "I'm okay. I just didn't want to have to go to another house."

"But you heard our sisters say we have rooms," Iris said, rushing over to her twin. She let Mary pick her up and set her on her lap before she said, "And we don't have to share or anything."

"What were you going to tell us?" Ivy asked, not wanting to admit that her sister was right.

"I'm an orphan myself," Skye said plainly. When the two looked at her with wide eyes she said, "I never knew my mum, she passed when I was born and my father…" She sighed and then explained to them the plane crash she was in when she was six before saying, "But we'll all be fine, I know all the pilots flying all of us tomorrow to our homes and they're all superb. You won't need to worry."

"But… what happened to you?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah, did you go to foster homes like we had to?" Iris said.

"No, I was very lucky in that my father had a good friend who'd been around with us and was like an uncle to me. He was able to adopt me, and he raised me. You'll meet him tomorrow and I call him Dad. Your sisters call him Grandda."

"Does… Fleur does too?" Ivy asked. When Skye nodded she buried her face into her chest and mumbled an apology.

"What have you got to be sorry for lass?" the investigator asked, gently running her hand over her hair.

"For not calling you our moms," Ivy said slowly.

"That was never necessary," Mary said quickly. "We told you both we'd leave that up to you if you wanted to do that."

"I do," Iris whispered. She smiled slightly at her twin before she then snuggled closer to Mary.

"That would be very nice if you do," Skye said, smiling at the little girl. She looked at Ivy and said, "You don't need to follow your sister if you don't want to."

"Do you love us?" Ivy asked.

"We do," Skye said simply and firmly. She wasn't surprised when the little girl sighed shakily, and she pressed her lips very gently to her hair, waiting to see what she would say.

"I want to do that too," Ivy said. "Just… promise us you won't send us back to foster homes." She gasped with her twin when the two women hugged them at the same time and she laughed with Iris before they were let go. "You're that happy?"

"Oh of course, we want to make sure you're settled in… well I suppose we should have waited for you to get home with us for that but now is good too," Skye said, thinking a moment. She looked at her wife and then asked her in Japanese, " _Tsuika suru mono_?"

Smiling, since her wife had said the phrase anything to add, Mary then became serious and said to the two girls, "Do you mind having two mothers?"

"No… you're way better than our… that lady before," Iris said.

Remembering the girls' foster mother cheating on their foster father which had led to the foster parents' divorce, Skye said, "But you've seen us. We'll kiss and hug."

"Yeah… that's different right?" Ivy asked.

"We explained that some people don't approve of that, but we don't care," Skye said. "We just want you to know that if anyone says anything to you negative about us to just ignore them."

"Alright… Mummy," Ivy said softly. She gasped again when Skye hugged her again and then laughed tearfully as she could tell from the hold that the woman was very happy.

"Hold on," Mary said with a slight laugh as Iris tried to launch herself to Skye. She then hugged her and said, "Mind if I give you a kiss?"

"No," Iris said, sharing one with her quickly. "Do kids do that with their parents… Mommy?"

"They do," Skye said, sharing a smile with her wife. She laughed when Iris came over to her and she kissed her temple before doing the same with Ivy as she did her best to hold onto them both. "Alright lasses, you two are probably hungry. Oh, and before we forget, kids do share kisses with their parents like that. Not just all your friends out there."

"Should we tell them what we're going to do?" Ivy asked as she stood after Skye had set her down.

"They'll hear," Mary said, hugging the little girl when she came to her. "But they won't really make a big deal of it."

"Ready for dinner?" Skye asked. When the two nodded she and Mary led them by their hands until they were walking out to join everyone else for their meal.


	34. Through A Thousand Centuries (Part 2)

"So just like that they're going to call you that?" Beckett asked Skye as they were walking together.

"Yeah, it's… we're very happy," the investigator said, smiling. "But I'll keep my eye on Ivy, make sure she's alright. I don't blame her for being averse to another house."

"What will you do?" Beckett asked her. She saw Skye wasn't looking at her and she squeezed her arm a little firmly to make sure she was looking at her. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Why do you ask me like that?" Skye said jokingly. When her friend just looked at her she said, "We're getting them all a dog; just one each," and she waited for her friend to respond to that as she was looking at her seriously.

"Really?" Beckett said.

"That's it?" Skye said with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, you're sure you want to do that?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, we… miss our other two dogs," Skye said with a sigh. "And we're just going to let them pick out smaller breeds."

"What?" Beckett asked at the smile on the investigator's face.

"Kath wants a Xolo," Skye answered.

"The hairless breed?" Beckett said as they were turning at the end of the path to walk back to where everyone else was gathered around a firepit or playing on the grass outside the hotel where they'd had their picnic.

"Yeah, I told her I wasn't so sure the hairless kind would handle home that well. But if we could find a well-trained, coated one we could get it. Otherwise she wants a Chihuahua."

"Interesting choices," Beckett said, smiling before she heard her oldest calling to her. "Don't run," she immediately said as Julia was coming down the path to them.

"I'm not," the girl said quickly. When she reached the two, Julia gave her mother one of the envelopes she was holding and gave the other to Skye saying, "A worker brought this out for you both."

"The pictures?" Skye asked Beckett in surprise.

"I think so," she replied, testing the weight of the envelope. "We'll see," Beckett added as she turned it around to open it. She felt immediately that it was photograph, and she slid the stack out before she breathed out heavily and an instant later could hear the investigator doing the same as Julia looked back and forth between them.

"Is… are they awful?" the girl asked worriedly.

"No," Beckett said, sliding the pictures back into the envelope. She glanced at Skye and saw she'd done the same with her pictures and they shared a look. When the investigator nodded she turned to Julia and said, "Could you ask your dad to meet me and Mary to go with Skye?" When her daughter nodded and then hurried off she said to the investigator, "I wonder if now is the best time…"

"They know what they are already," Skye said with a smile. "I'll see you," she added before she walked away into the grass.

Watching her husband talking to Julia, Beckett smiled as he walked over to her and she said, "Thank you for coming over so fast," as he'd jogged a bit at the end.

"How are they?" Castle said immediately. "Julia was concerned, and I refuse to-" he began before his wife was putting her hand on his arm.

"Calm down," Beckett said with a smile. She moved her hand and then turned her attention to the envelope again. She slid out the stack of pictures and then looked at her husband to see his reaction.

Hoping the expression on his face wasn't betraying what he was thinking just yet, Castle turned and then moved to kiss his wife. Though they were a distance away from everyone, he kept it short and said, "You look… incredible."

Beckett bit at her lower lip and said, "I had no idea she had the photographer do this," as the first picture was of her in the scarf that was for the last photo for the catalogue. The picture they were looking at first was in black and white and she was turned to her left. "I haven't looked at the rest; I wanted to wait for you to do that," she told him. "And of course Skye wanted to look with Mary."

"Thank you for that," Castle replied. "I'll hold them."

"Please don't start kissing it," Beckett told him teasingly. She wasn't all that surprised when her husband kissed her lips gently and she smiled at him when they parted. As he placed his hand on her back she took the first picture and gave it to him before they studied the second.

"I guess she just included that one picture," Castle said as the rest were what he assumed would be used for the catalogue.

"I think so," Beckett said as she handed him the envelope. "You can show everyone."

"Are you alright?" Castle asked her.

Smiling Beckett said, "Yeah, I'd just prefer if you showed everyone."

Nodding Castle wrapped his arm around her and leaned down, kissing her cheek telling her, "It was nice to get to see you do this once."

"I may do it more," Beckett reminded him.

"I know, but if you don't I'm just letting you know I don't care," Castle said. "It's up to you."

"Go," Beckett said, smiling as she watched him head back to the others. She greeted Mary when she walked by but remained where she was to wait for Skye. "Well?" she asked her friend.

"She loved them, she wants to take a picture of the first one to have on her phone," the investigator said once she was close enough.

"Rick didn't mention it but I'm sure he'll talk to Mary and do the same with my picture," Beckett said with a smile. "Why just those pictures though?"

"I texted her just now," Skye said as she held up her phone when her text alert sound rang. She read the message she had in response and then glanced over at the others as the kids were exclaiming at two workers from the hotel coming out to them.

"Dessert's here," Beckett said. "But what did Stella say?"

"Those were for our spouses," Skye replied.

"Get out of here," Beckett said teasingly. She wasn't surprised when the investigator showed her the message and saw that she was right; though she'd believed her. "Well… at least she didn't have lingerie."

"I wouldn't have worn that," Skye said. They laughed for a moment before she sighed and said, "There's more to come."

"Yeah, I saw that," Beckett replied. "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head Skye said, "I'm just wondering how many other pictures that were taken."

"She won't publish those," Beckett assured her. "They're coming straight to us." She paused as Skye looked at her and then said, "Well, for our spouses I guess."

Shaking her head as they were walking back the investigator said, "At least we know now. But really, no reason why the others can't see."

Beckett nodded but she knew her friend wasn't really agreeing with that and she didn't either. But they were getting close to the firepit, so she moved to sit with her husband on a bench while the kids were getting the first s'mores ready.

"I wish we had a surprise for tomorrow," Fleur said a little sadly.

"Don't worry," Skye said, squeezing her arm. "It's still summer so we'll go on little trips."

"That's right, Ivy and Iris haven't been to California yet," Marie pointed out before the twins looked at each other as Fleur was gasping eagerly before their mom was speaking.

"We're not going to be going around that much," Mary said to the girls. "But perhaps a trip to San Diego is possible."

"It will be, you know I'm off for the rest of the year," Skye said.

"How did you manage that?" Nkosi asked the investigator.

"The show, they figure it'll be good publicity for the NTSB," Skye answered, not surprised when he nodded in agreement. "But I'll assist where I can."

Watching the kids walk away with their s'mores Lily said to Beckett, "There's something I've always wondered. Well… ever since I heard about it. How did you two get along living together?"

"We… did," Darnley said, looking at Beckett and laughing slightly at the end. "We just lived together. Again, I wasn't living with her for that long."

"I think they want a story," Beckett commented, tucking her legs up on the bench and then leaning against her husband.

"You should tell it," Darnley told her.

"She should," Castle quickly picked up. "She's a really good storyteller."

Glancing at him, Beckett then said, "We only had one bathroom."

"I think you should say you only had one," Darnley said with a smile.

"You remember?" Beckett asked.

"Oh sure," Darnley said before they laughed together briefly.

After they'd stopped Beckett said, "He had been at my place for about three weeks…"

"More or less," Darnley said, nodding his head.

"Again, there was only one bathroom," Beckett began, smiling at her husband.

* * *

 _"Kate," Darnley said, knocking on the door. "Kate, I hate to do this, but I need to take a shower now."_

 _"Come in," Beckett replied. She looked up when her friend came inside and said, "We need to share."_

 _"Are you sure?" Darnley said, looking at her with wide eyes._

* * *

"Don't tell me you were naked," Castle said.

"If I was I don't think I'd be telling this story with our parents here," Beckett commented with a smile.

* * *

 _"Yes, you've never seen legs before?" Beckett commented as she had just started shaving hers._

 _"Sure, not any that long before," Darnley replied. "But really Kate. Shower."_

 _"It's right there," Beckett said._

 _"Okay but I'm not getting undressed out here," Darnley said, tossing his towel on the hamper by it._

 _"I'd prefer you didn't," Beckett said, smiling at him before he was closing the curtain over the shower stall. She turned her attention back to her legs and said, "How's the date looking to be?"_

 _"That is the weirdest question," Darnley said laughingly after he'd hung his robe on the hook outside. "But really, I have no clue how the hell this is going to go."_  
 _"But you're looking forward to it," Beckett pointed out._

 _"Yeah…" Darnley said slowly. He knew his friend would be looking at him questioningly if they could see each other and he said, "He seemed nice, but I don't know if he understands that I need to keep myself… closeted."_

 _"Doesn't he?" Beckett asked._

 _"Probably but… I don't know," Darnley said. "Is it weird to do this when I-"_

 _"Go on the date Patrick," Beckett interrupted him._

 _"Alright, I might as well," Darnley said. "I'm finished with my shower and everything."_

 _"Put your robe on in there," Beckett told him._

 _"I am," Darnley said in mock annoyance. When he had it on he said, "But what about you?"_

 _"What about me?" Beckett asked him._

 _"What're you going to do?" Darnley said._

 _"Oh, stay in," Beckett replied. "Read or watch a movie."_

 _"I'll be here tomorrow," Darnley said. "We'll do something… eat in or head to the theater… or both."_

 _"Alright, but promise me you'll go through the whole date," Beckett told him, standing up straight as she'd finished putting lotion on her legs. "No calling me unless it's a desperate situation."_

 _"Agreed," Darnley said, pushing down her bottle of lotion she had pointed at him playfully. "And hey, no awkwardness."_

 _"We were careful," Beckett said wryly as she stepped out of the room first. "Get dressed and be on time!" She looked back at her friend and smiled as he was laughing while he ducked into his room. Turning back to her own she closed the door behind her and hurried to dress, hoping his date would be at the very least enjoyable._

* * *

"It wasn't," Darnley said.

"No?" Rebecca asked.

"He was a realtor and decided the date was the best time to try and sell me a new place," Darnley replied.

"Did he know you were living with a straight woman?" Beckett asked him though she'd known about the man after the date had actually happened.

"Yeah, I told him that it was temporary, and I didn't have a lot of money," Darnley said. "You think that stopped him from gushing about Central Park…"

It was quiet for a moment before Skye's phone started to ring and she swore in another language as she was looking at the screen. "Sorry," she told the others. "It's Feith back at home."

"Skye," Castle said, showing her his phone.

"Interesting you managed to do that so quickly," Skye said wryly as she studied it. "It's alright," she told the others. "Runway excursion with Air Berlin."

"Are we all aware of what that is?" Nkosi asked.

"You should join her son," Joseph told him.

"Yeah, you're… well you're really trying not to let me see but you're tense," Darnley told his husband. He watched him leave them and said, "He'll be glad to know later that he wasn't bounding away. Like a gazelle which he enjoys the comparison to."

"Where did that come from?" Beckett asked him in confusion.

"I tease him about that," Darnley said, waving his hand in the air before he was covering his face with his hand and laughing with the others. "Okay, I almost forgot to ask about tomorrow. You're sure you want to have breakfast with us?"

"Why not?" Beckett said first.

"Yeah, we just want a quick meal before heading to the airport," David commented.

"Are you nervous about flying?" Bethany said to him.

"Oh no, just eager for the flight to be over," David replied. "Well, that's not true. More I don't want the vacation to finish yet."

"Mom," Julia said, coming over to them.

"Did you finish?" Beckett asked, taking the napkin that she held.

"Yeah, we're all wondering if we can have seconds," Julia said. "We didn't have the desserts from the tea this time."

"I don't think so," Beckett replied, looking at her watch. "You guys will need to go to bed soon." She smiled when her daughter hurried off to the other kids and looked up as her husband stood and Darnley took his place. "Weird to remember that."

"I know," the detective replied with a smile. "But it was fun," Darnley added. "We've conveyed that right."

"We did," Beckett said with a nod. "Were you able to get clearance for him?" she asked Skye as she walked back with Nkosi.

"Oh, sure," the investigator replied. "But you'll be escorted around of course."

"Small price to pay," Darnley said simply. He watched Skye and his husband leave the firepit to talk to each other and then looked at Beckett saying, "You're really going to LA."

"This'll be my what… fourth time? It's not going to be new," she said, smiling slightly. "What will be is the show. And if you're asking about Julia on it she wants to be if she can."

"Be a dream come true for her," Darnley said, not surprised his friend immediately started to nod in agreement.

"I am hoping she can be on it; since she wants to so much," Beckett said.

"You're not going to make sure she is?" Darnley asked her.

"No," Beckett said firmly. "I wouldn't really arrange that. Skye will get her to the studio but if she dances she'll need to prove she can… Does that sound harsh?"

"You want her to prove her talent, not just get in by connections," Darnley said.

Nodding her head Beckett looked past the fire in front of them and to their children who were running around together with the others. She looped her arm through her friend's and leaned against him, not really needing to say anything as she knew they both wanted to enjoy the rest of the time they had left as dusk was falling over the city.

* * *

"What time are we getting up?" Castle called.

"We need to get up at seven thirty," Beckett replied as she walked out of the bathroom pulling on her robe.

"Do you mind more tea?" Castle asked as she came out to the living room where he was at the brewer.

"No," Beckett said honestly. "Just one cup; we can share."

"Can I ask," Castle stated after nodding to her request.

"Yes, but really it wasn't much," Beckett said. "We just talked about… actually mainly when we were living together."

"I'm not surprised," Castle commented as he then stirred some honey into the rooibos tea he'd made. "But about when you were shaving your legs…"

"I was in shorts," Beckett said, rolling her eyes. "I'll remind you he's never seen me naked from the waist down."

Nodding Castle said, "Just making sure." He handed her the mug and said, "I'm surprised you didn't just stay together in that apartment until he left."

"He thought he was going to stay," Beckett said with a shrug as she led the way to the bedroom. "So he moved but he was close."

"How many blocks?" Castle asked.

"Four," Beckett replied. When he looked impressed she laughed softly and said, "I know, I had the same reaction when he took me to see the place. It was just a studio but… it was enough for then."  
"I wonder what would have happened had he stayed," Castle told her, sitting on the couch next to the window.

Sitting on the edge so she could look at him Beckett said, "We were talking about that too. And we would have been partners; I found out a little after he went back to DC that they were scheduling us together for patrol permanently. But beyond that…" She couldn't help smiling slightly and when her husband asked her what she was thinking she told him about what she and Darnley had talked about concerning the frozen storage container.

Castle didn't answer at first, instead pulling her fully on the sofa with him and spreading his legs so she could sit in between them. Holding her so her back was against his chest he wrapped his arms around her and said, "That's one thing I've thought about myself. Once I realized that was what you were going to tell me."

Leaning her head back, Beckett smiled and said, "It's better I didn't." She wasn't surprised when he squeezed her a little and told him, "I wouldn't have been ready."

"Would you have stayed with-" Castle started to say.

"No," Beckett interrupted, knowing what he was going to say already. She handed him the mug of tea and looked out the window saying, "But I wouldn't have been ready," though she hadn't really wanted to repeat herself.

"Don't worry," Castle said after he'd given her back the mug. "It's interesting to think about but not what I want to constantly do."

Shivering as her husband had pressed a kiss to just under her left ear on her neck, Beckett murmured, "We were supposed to do something weren't we?"

"I don't remember now," Castle said, pressing his nose into her hair. "You smell like roses love."

Smiling Beckett said, "I did take a shower." She couldn't help laughing softly when he grunted and said, "We don't have as much time as we thought we did," wondering what he would say as she felt him straightening up immediately behind her.

"No but we should finish the tea first," Castle said, having been tempted to move her before he'd seen the mug just in time.

"I know," Beckett replied simply, taking a sip and handing the mug to him. She leaned to the side, so she could watch him and said with a smile. "You have something in mind."

"I don't know if I want to plan it exactly," Castle said. He gave her the tea and said, "Just… see what happens once we start."

Nodding her head, Beckett finished the last of the tea and turned so they could look at each other before he was moving her onto his lap. She wasn't sure how he'd been able to do that but didn't concern herself too much about it before she was wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed. She felt his left hand slide underneath her robe and run along her side before she reached to grab it.

"Too much?" Castle asked, startled at her touch and pulling back.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile, slipping his hand under her top. "Just… don't go too crazy with that," she told him as he was gripping her gently, his hand warm on her skin.

"I'll do my best," Castle told her before he was kissing her deeply. He felt her tongue reach his lips and they were dueling together hungrily shortly after, at the same time he slid his hand around to her back. He tried not to do too much as she had asked, but he couldn't stop himself from moving his hand, only stopping when she gasped and ended the kiss to do that.

"My robe is in the way," Beckett said.

"I think it's more your clothes are in the way," Castle told her, watching her take it off before he helped her.

"And yours," Beckett commented, pressing down hard on his lap.

Grunting Castle said, "Do you want to move?"

"No," Beckett said simply before she was kissing him hard. She had turned to him and had wrapped her arms around his neck before his hands were sliding underneath her shirt. "Rick," she moaned before she tilted her head back while he moved to trail down her neck.

Nipping at her pulse Castle groaned in frustration and said, "I was going for your breasts," in a near confession.

"I could tell," Beckett told him with a smile. She cupped his face with her hands and brushed their lips together before she murmured, "I wish you could."

"Don't tempt me," Castle breathed out as he pushed on the small of her back a little hard to bring her closer. "Oh, what the hell am I saying, you are already."

Beckett laughed softly before she shared a sensuous kiss with him until they parted. But she didn't go very far away, kissing him again before he kissed her when she pulled back again. "Rick," she breathed.

"Yeah?" Castle asked taking her back on his lap as she pressed against him.

"Carry me to the bed?" Beckett said. She had her response as her husband was moving to stand up and she wrapped her arms tightly around him so he could take her. As soon as she touched the mattress she was reaching for him, pulling him down with her so they could immediately kiss and touch one another intimately in the space they suddenly had for it.

Running his hands around his wife's back as much as he could, Castle stopped kissing her and instead just touched her. They were both breathing roughly, filling the room with the sound, before she moaned as his right hand slid under the waistbands of her pajama pants and panties. "Still too much?" he asked, pausing with his fingertips just barely resting on her ass.

"No," Beckett said, pulling away from him and then pulling off her shirt. She bit her lower lip as her husband ran his hands down her sides and then rubbed his thumbs over the skin at her hips. "What about you?" she asked.

"You want me topless?" Castle asked, kicking himself mentally at the smartass comment.

"Of course," Beckett replied, leaning over and brushing her lips against his. She then reached for the bottom of his shirt and tugged on it until she could get it off, tossing it aside. Turning her attention back to him she ran her hands over his chest and said, "You'll be careful when you have my breasts again right?"

"Yeah… are you warning me you're going to be rough with my chest?" Castle asked. He smiled when his wife laughed, and he held her as she leaned against him and he said, "I guess that's a no."

"It is," Beckett said, kissing his shoulder. She ran her hand over it slowly and said softly, "I just want you to touch me."

Leaning up, Castle took his wife's lips and they kissed slowly before she moved back, and he held her closely saying, "I'll do whatever you want when we get to Tahiti."

"Thank you," Beckett said, running her fingers through his hair. She scraped her nails against his scalp and feeling him shudder she told him, "I need you naked. Now."

Castle didn't say anything, moving with her so he could stand, and he let her get his pants off his hips before he removed it himself. When he was standing straight again he was hissing as Beckett was caressing the front of his boxers and he finally had to reach for her wrists, holding them firmly while trying not to do so too hard. "I… what're you trying to do?" he asked her.

Beckett smiled and said, "Not that. Let me go and I'll show you."

Though he wasn't exactly sure what she had in mind, Castle let her wrists go before he watched her reach into his boxers. He was grunting heavily as she grasped his erection and he gasped out to her, "You can… get me out and do more than just hold me."

Brushing her lips against his jaw Beckett said, "I know, I just wanted to feel." She let go of him before she watched him remove the last of his clothing and she wasn't surprised when he reached for her. Smiling again she told him, "Too much."

"Yes," Castle said simply before he reached for her pajama pants. Together they got the last of her clothing off and he literally swooped down to pick her up though he didn't have to go that far to get her back on the bed. He followed her and lay on top of her before they were kissing hungrily. He ran his right hand over her side repeatedly before he moved to her neck and sucked on it here and there. Hearing her moan of joy, he started to move down further when she grabbed him to stop him, making him look up at her in confusion.

"Just take me," Beckett whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked.

"I've… you've been touching me more than enough," Beckett told him, running her hand down his back so she could finger his spine. She then grasped his ass with both her hands and said, "Fuck me lover."

Cushing his lips to hers, Castle raised his hips enough so they could both grasp his erection and move it to her sex. He let her use her fingers to judge where he needed to go and once he felt he was where he had to be, he thrust once and hard to their cry and groan of joy until they were coupled. He was breathing a little hard already and he murmured, "I'll stop if I have to."

"Make this last as long as you want," Beckett told him. She wasn't surprised when he shuddered in reaction and braced herself as she wrapped her legs tightly about his waist as his muscles in his back began to move.

Loving the way his wife was crying out at his first thrust, Castle was going slowly at first before he sped up. He was gradual though and moved to angle his hips down enough to try and reach her clit. He knew when he'd succeeded as she was crying out his name repeatedly before he was kissing her hard. He was able to coax her tongue into his mouth and from that point let her take over as she was quick to pick up on what he wanted. He wasn't sure where the compunction came from but he suddenly moved them so she was above him without either of them breaking their kiss.

Reluctantly pulling away from her husband, Beckett pushed herself up enough to place her hands on his chest for leverage as she was beginning to move. She pushed herself back and forth against him, gasping as he groaned and reached up to her back while she felt his legs moving. She chanced a glance and saw he had bent them a second before she could feel him moving with her. For a while their hips were slapping together loudly, and she was letting out heavily erotic sounds and she knew her husband could hear it as his fingers were digging into the small of her back. She squeezed his shoulder suddenly, and while she was relieved he moved them around again she was dismayed at the pause in the friction between them.

"Fuck… Kate," Castle groaned as he realized he'd flipped her so her head was hanging off the side of the of bed.

"Don't… worry," Beckett breathed out as her husband hadn't stopped to move her, fucking her again. She cried out in joy when he angled his hips just a little differently and she dug her nails into his back until he was moving them around again. "You-"

"Move like… Like that," Castle said, groaning heavily when she started to bounce on him. He pushed himself up while speaking and they were soon after kissing though it didn't last very long as they were parting from her movements. "Love," he said, groaning again.

Stopping, Beckett kissed him though she was moving against him a little so her clit was rubbing against his skin and she tilted her head back. "Oh… Rick… I want…" she started to say.

Castle kissed at her neck a few times before he pulled out of her and then had her lay on her stomach. He leaned over and kissed at her shoulders before he tangled his fingers in her hair, holding onto it but not pulling it as he knew she preferred. "I remember now," he told her. "I'm supposed to punish you."

"Not by pulling my hair you aren't," Beckett told him though he wasn't doing that. She smiled slightly when he let her go but was shortly after crying out when he slapped hard at her ass. She hissed out his name as he kissed at there shortly after and then slipped his hand under her stomach, making her push herself up on her knees.

"Do you want to faint?" Castle asked his wife, trying to look up at her face though his eyes couldn't help being drawn to her sex. Seeing how it was literally glistening in the light of the room he felt his mouth water and his heart pound a little harder in his ears, so much so that he almost didn't hear her answer.

"No, just- Rick!" Beckett nearly screamed as he somehow managed to literally jump on her folds, licking at them hungrily. "Oh… don't… stop," she begged him. But she realized what she was saying and told him, "Wait, I-"

"Don't worry," Castle said hurriedly as he didn't want to stay away from her for too long. "I want the same." He was startled when she moved and hurried to go with her though she merely moved to lay on her back. He was inside of her very rapidly and he sighed with her as their hips were joined together before he thrust again.

Her arms and legs around her husband, Beckett knew they weren't going to stop that time and she didn't mind at all. The friction was burning her body deliciously and he was pleasuring her clit as well since he was rubbing against it deliberately. She was kissing him, but it became very haphazard since she was doing her best to move with him. It didn't diminish the pleasure as she had her nails back in his skin until she broke in pure ecstasy, calling her husband's name repeatedly before he was joining her.

Yelling his wife's name as his body took over fully, Castle was moving wildly until he realized he was the only one. He dimly could hear the way his wife was almost whimpering beneath him but couldn't turn his attention to her until he stopped and was holding his weight on his hands. When he realized what he'd heard he said, "Are you-"

Covering his mouth with her hand Beckett told him, "I don't know why I was making that sound, but you were arousing me already."

Breathing out a laugh into her shoulder, Castle quickly moved to kiss her on the lips and then said, "You're doing that for me now." He then moved away from her and lay on his side, pulling her to him before they were kissing each other deeply for some time. When they stopped he lay on his back and wrapped his right arm around her, pulling her against his side as they took a moment to recover.

"Rick?" Beckett eventually asked.

"Yeah?" Castle said in response, caressing her hair.

"What do you want to do after this?" Beckett said.

"I… wait, why me?" Castle asked.

Beckett laughed and then got up, turning so she could kiss him deeply before she felt the way his hands were holding onto her before they parted. "Hmm, because it's your turn," she said to him simply. She watched him obviously thinking that over, waiting for what he'd think of before he was suddenly flipping her onto her back and telling her what he wanted.

"I want to fuck you while you're on the couch, looking out at the city," Castle told her, kissing around her shoulders.

"You're such a liar," Beckett told him laughingly before he raised his head.

"We didn't close the curtains though," Castle commented.

Kissing him, Beckett said once they'd parted, "We did, I can see them. Are you having trouble?"

"No, I'd like to go somewhere else, but I can't really figure out where," Castle told her honestly. He smiled when she pushed on his shoulders and then watched her get off the bed before she grabbed his pajama shirt and went over to the bathroom. He sat on the edge, waiting for her before he said, "What're you doing?"

"Hold on," Beckett said easily, smiling at his tone before she stepped out. She tossed a washcloth at him and said, "Go ahead," when he looked at her in surprise.

"Wait, this was supposed to be my choice," Castle said, not doing what she'd asked as he was watching her take off his shirt. "And why did you wear that?"

"Thought you would have wanted to see me in it," Beckett said simply, taking back the washcloth and gently taking his length in hand so she could rub it. She was careful doing that and when she had finished told him, "I wanted to." She tossed the sodden fabric back over to the bathroom and said, "And you wouldn't want me to?"

"Oh, I do but I wanted to take you again," Castle said, reaching for her clit and rubbing it a little.

Pushing her husband's hand out of the way Beckett said, "Go over to the couch."

After they kissed, Castle walked to it as he took her hand after he passed her though he paused as he wasn't sure what she wanted him to do. When she pushed his shoulders, he sat down and was about to protest her getting on her knees when she grasped his erection firmly.

As soon as she had it in her mouth Beckett wasn't surprised when her husband swore heavily above her, and she was quick to move her head. She went slowly at first and then sped up in a short amount of time as she wasn't planning on doing that for very long. When she finally moved away she smiled at her husband and said, "Now you can decide."

Castle took a moment to respond to that and he said, "That… that was it?"

"I thought you wanted to fuck me?" Beckett asked before he stood up and then pulled her with him. She took his kiss before they were wrapping their arms around each other tightly and she could feel the way he was grasping at her before she stopped him, pulling away. "Well?"

From the tone of her voice, Castle knew that she was aroused and he glanced around the room again before he took her back to the bed. "I don't think it matters where we are," he explained to her while she was laying back.

"No," Beckett said with a smile before she brought him in between her legs. When he murmured in her ear she nodded and said, "We'll do better at home."

Castle kissed her deeply before he slid inside of her and he began to move as fast as he could as he'd asked her if they could have a quickie. He was getting a rapid pace set immediately and when they climaxed together very shortly after they were panting heavily together before he pulled away from her to lay next to her. "Love," he said as he hurried to gather her in his arms and kiss her deeply.

Responding to him hungrily, Beckett ran her hand over the back of his head as her other was holding onto his back. When they parted she said, "I feel bad," honestly.

"Don't worry," Castle told her, nuzzling her lips with his own. "Like you said we'll do better at home." He lay fully on his back and then said, "And we have about two weeks until we're in Ireland."

"I remember," Beckett replied in amusement. She then said, "But there's still two weeks."

Nodding his head Castle let her go so she could grab the bed sheet to cover them and once they were he said, "Are we set with everything for their schooling?"

Smiling at the way he'd worded that, Beckett kissed his jaw and then told him, "Everything's ready. I just wonder if we can do this."

"It's not difficult," Castle said, knowing she was talking about all the kids that they would have to teach. "Especially since we have a lot of teachers."

Beckett laughed softly and then told him, "It'll be nice to spend so much time with them though."

"I'm just eager for Julia's sake," Castle said. When they both fell silent he then said, "Yeah, still awkward talking about them."

Turning so she could raise herself on her elbow Beckett told him, "Then let's talk about Adare."

"Yes," Castle said.

"Not like that," Beckett said laughingly as his tone had become excessively eager. "But I don't want to spend all day in our room."

"Oh," Castle said in obvious disappointment. He then said, "What would you like to do?"

"Just in the morning," Beckett replied. She smiled when he looked at her in surprise and told him, "I do want to spend a lot of time in the room after we ride."

"What about the pool?" Castle asked.

"Of course, maybe after lunch," Beckett said. She couldn't help shivering a little when he started to rub at the small of her back and she smiled at him saying, "And then a shower and then back to our room."

Shuddering visibly Castle breathed, "Vixen."

"Hmm, good," Beckett replied, leaning over and kissing him hungrily. They were passionate, and she allowed him to roll her onto her back before she was slinging her leg around his waist. "Rick," she said with a sigh as he moved to her neck. She wasn't surprised when he started to move lower and then tore himself away from her, going all the way to the edge of the bed and sitting up on it. As she got up to go to him she saw he'd buried his face in his hands and she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Love," she told him, kissing his back. "I wouldn't have minded."

"I would have," Castle said, straightening up. He sighed and told her, "I'm not sorry for getting to where I did, but I'm mad at myself for almost forgetting."

"But you didn't," Beckett said, pressing her lips to the small of his back. Something came to mind suddenly, and she let him go, moving so she could get off the bed as he grabbed her hand.

"Where-" Castle started to say.

"I'll be back," Beckett told him simply before she went over to the bathroom. After she had grabbed something she went back to her husband and said, "Lay down."

Though he had wanted to protest, Castle merely nodded and got onto his stomach saying, "I hope you don't mind me taking your pillow."

"I don't," Beckett replied simply as she got some of the sandalwood lotion offered by the hotel onto her hands. She got on her knees next to him and proceeded to rub at his back, not surprised when he started to heavily groan at her touch. "I thought you might need this," she told him.

"What about you?" Castle grunted.

"Oh, don't worry," Beckett replied easily. "I'm fine."

"You don't think I can control myself?" Castle said.

"Not really," Beckett said, smiling as he was looking over his shoulder at her. She then grew serious and said, "Are you alright?"

"Why- oh, yeah I'm fine," Castle said, wondering why she was asking that though he quickly realized. "I was careful."

"I hope so, this was supposed to relax you," Beckett told him.

"Me or my-" Castle started to say.

"You," Beckett said, playfully poking his shoulder. "Pervert."

"I know, why else would I be talking with you about our anniversary?" Castle said, smiling. Shortly after she finished her massage and he watched her go. He pushed himself up and as she was coming back to him he said, "Sleep?"

"We don't have to this second," Beckett said simply. When she was near him she cried out as he grabbed her, making her lay on her back before he crushed his lips to her.

Holding onto his wife with one hand, Castle dueled her tongue hungrily and didn't stop until they absolutely had to breathe. "Love," he murmured against her lips. "I adore you."

"You can again," Beckett promised him, nuzzling his jaw gently. She smiled when he sighed heavily in obvious frustration and she told him, "Don't worry love, it'll go quickly."

"True, everyone's at home," Castle said before he kissed her again. After they'd slowly parted he told her, "I need to get off you."

"Then go ahead," Beckett said in amusement. She watched him move and went with him once he was laying on his back. "How's your back?"

"Better, thanks," Castle told her, rubbing her shoulder. "I'll owe you. Though I would have done it already."

"I'm aware," Beckett said, smiling at him. She then kissed him before she told him, "I'm having mixed feelings still."

"Of course you are," Castle told her. "But we will see them again."

"I'm reminding myself of that," Beckett said before she felt his lips on her forehead. "What?"

"You wouldn't want to come back here for-" Castle said.

"Stop," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "I know you don't want to. And I want to go to Adare because I'd feel weird being here for something that has nothing to do with Patrick." She studied her husband and said, "You thought of that too." When he slowly nodded she laughed again and kissed him gently before telling him, "Thank you for thinking of me, but it'll be about us."

"Yeah," Castle replied, kissing her. He nuzzled his nose to hers when they'd stopped and said, "And I can't wait."

Beckett wanted to tell him she was glad he was but decided it didn't really need to be said, instead raising her head so she could kiss him. They were passionate but very slow and she felt her body beginning to respond, making her pull away from him. "We… we need to stop."

"It's too difficult," Castle said, gently cupping her ass.

"I know," Beckett said slightly mournfully before he was turning her onto her back. She let him kiss her hard and she gently ran her hands over his shoulders before she stopped him and told him, "Fuck me one more time. _Please_."

Since his wife had asked so desperately, and because he was as aroused as he could hear she was, Castle moved to sink into her body and they began to make love together slowly at first before it delved into fucking one another. When they climaxed very close together he was calling her name before they were calming down. He kissed around her shoulders when he could raise his head from her neck he groaned her name before she was touching his cheek with her palm. Though he didn't want to, he moved to lay on his back and he said, "We should count how many times we do this in a night."

"It's the intimacy," Beckett told him with a smile as she lay against him. "It's hard to stop."

"But now we are," Castle said while he watched her pulling the sheet up over them. When she was settled back in his arms he shared a kiss with her and told her, "I love you Kate."

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said. She felt him gently running his fingers through her hair and she said, "Would you ever want to pull it."

Shaking his head Castle said, "I'm not going to mimic wanting to take it off. I want it where it is, on your head."

Sighing as her husband and moved his hand down to her shoulder and started to rub there again she told him, "I'm surprised you enjoy doing this."

"What, the cuddling?" Castle asked. He smiled as she laughed softly, and he told her, "No, I enjoy doing this. I never had much talking before."

"Rick-" Beckett started to say doubtfully.

"I'm serious," Castle said in slight annoyance as he wasn't joking. "When you have very little emotional attachment…" When she shifted next to him he then said, "That's true love, I've never enjoyed this in an all-around manner before you."

"All around manner?" Beckett asked with a smile as he looked down to her.

"Yes," Castle said simply. When they their eyes met he started to laugh with her until they calmed down and he kissed her tenderly so she would know that though he'd worded it oddly he'd meant what he said about their intimacy.

"Rick?" Beckett asked him gently when they'd parted. " _Bhí sé iontach_ ," she said, telling him that it was amazing.

Hugging her to him a little more tightly Castle said, " _Mar sin beidh ár gcomóradh_ ," which meant the phrase so will our anniversary. He expected her to call him pervert but when she merely smiled he leaned down enough so he could kiss her. When they parted he held her close as they murmured their goodnights to one another, letting the thought of their anniversary linger. He fell asleep knowing she was resting after their passionate intimacy, hoping she would perhaps dream of him after what they'd done together. He was aware his eagerness for her again would end up influencing what he saw as he slept but he didn't mind in the slightest, wanting to be with her in every way he possibly could through the night.


	35. Sentimental Journey Home

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Loved getting the feedback for the last chapter that I did so I'll go right to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (It was really nice seeing you thought the chapter was good writing for everyone!),

Emma (I'm happy seeing you're enjoying the story so much, definitely wanted my readers to. And I'm also glad that you're interested in the backstory of Darnley and Nkosi. To answer your question no Beckett didn't go to their wedding as she reunited with Darnley way after he and Nkosi got married. And nice that I've given you ideas for family vacations, hopefully you might be able to make those a reality some day! I'm glad you found my stories too, and since you're going to start from the top, I just hope you'll enjoy. And you said already starting the first one wow I hope that reaction will maybe continue. But great to know that you're reading and enjoying these stories too! You're welcome!),

Mb (Great you thought the chapter was a fantastic update and that you thought the museum was wonderful museum that had something for everyone. I'm really happy that you love that they all love going to the different types of museum since I agree, kids should see different types of art, music and engineering as you put it. And I also agree about the reason too, so they see it's not done by a computer but manually and via the person's intelligent. Not surprised that you wish the educational system gave children and adults the chance to appreciate the arts, it'd make things different that's for sure. I'm really happy that I tugged at your heart with Patrick and Trevor's memories of their engagement and then Patrick talking about his mom. No surprise you said thank goodness that Trevor's parents are accepting and loving of them both. I'm so pleased you mentioned Skye with Ivy, and you could feel the fear that the twins had of their new home on the other side of the country and being worried it would be temporary. I figured since Skye and Mary know psychology, they would know what to say to calm the twins' fears, and glad you saw the twins seeing that Skye and Mary are different, and they love the twins already. I wasn't surprised you mentioned they gave the twins confidence and love that they're going to call Skye and Mary Mummy and Mommy. I wasn't surprised you mentioned their Thanksgiving and Christmas plans or that you said them all going to Christmas was good and nice for all of them. And I wouldn't say that Trevor's parents are super rich but enough they could go to South Africa. And Trevor works with the NTSB in Washington DC. Happy to see you thought it was beautifully written. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! Really nice seeing you thought the second half was a wonderful update. I wasn't surprised that you mentioned the second half being about them all together on their last day there. I'm glad you loved the reaction to the pictures that Beckett and Skye got from the photo shoot, especially the special ones Stella had for Castle and Mary. And great you could picture the pictures being stunning of the two. It was really great that you thought the flashback from Beckett and Darnley living together was funny, I thought it might be, lol. I wasn't surprised to see you mentioning the love scene at the end and great you thought Castle and Beckett together was hot, sexy, sensual and loving. Happy you thought it was beautifully written. And you're welcome for sharing the second half!) and

Guest (You're very welcome for the chapter and I'm so happy that you thought it was excellent. And I'm glad you're a sucker for the deep family moments and that you enjoyed the bit with Skye and Mary. Great you thought it was good story and character development not having the twins right away call them mom. I figured that after everything they'd been through, they'd be hesitant about trusting them and need some time. So I'm glad you saw them wanting to see how genuine Skye and Mary's feelings really were about them. And it was great to read that you've read my stories and are waiting for the updates too! And I know it's tough for people to review a lot sometimes so when I do get reviews, I'm serious saying I'm grateful for them. Review when you can and whatever you want of course, I'll always love reading it!).

Thanks for the reviews, loved reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Sentimental Journey_ written by Bud Green, the version I've taken from is sung by Ringo Starr from his album the same name as the song.

Sentimental Journey Home

"I'll see you guys," Darnley was saying to Castle and Beckett's daughters. "Probably in November in LA."

"You'll jinx me," Skye said wryly.

"Not even close," Darnley said. "And we'll talk," he said to Skye and Mary who needed to leave for their flight.

After everyone had said goodbye to the McDouglases who'd gone to their gate Castle told his wife, "We'll head onto the plane," since theirs was boarding first class.

Nodding, Beckett watched her family and friends going before she turned to her friend and said, "I really didn't want to get to this point."

"I feel the exact same way," Darnley replied. "But we're not saying goodbye."

"It doesn't make it any easier," Beckett said, not surprised when he nodded. She hugged him and said, "I'll text you when we're back and you better e-mail me."

"Of course, I want to know how things go for you," Darnley said, embracing her back. "But one thing."

"Sure," Beckett replied.

"Do not tell me about your anniversary," Darnley said, pretending to shudder.

Beckett laughed and then let him go saying, "Deal. Get back home safe."

"Safe trip," Darnley answered. He hugged her quickly one last time before they let go of each other and he said, "Text me."

"I will," Beckett said before she tore herself away from him and then made her way over to the gate to board her plane. Before she stepped onto the jetway she turned back to see Darnley was there and they waved at one another until she went down the bridge.

"Hey love," Castle said, standing up and going to his wife. "Josie's all set."

"Thank you," Beckett replied, looking down at the baby. "The girls?"

"They're fine," Castle said, looking down the fuselage where their daughters were. Eliza would be sitting with Martha while Julia was with Jim. He would be sitting with Brad while their wives and the babies were in front and behind them. "We're all good to go."

Nodding, Beckett was about to move to sit on her chair when her husband stopped her.

" _Are you alright_?" Castle asked gently in Irish.

" _I am, like he said we'll see each other again_ ," Beckett replied with a smile. " _I just hate leaving him_."

Castle nodded and he couldn't help embracing her briefly before they parted, and he said, " _Time to sit_?"

"It is," Beckett said, speaking in English before kissing his cheek. She went to her seat and put on her seatbelt, checking on Josie once she was set. Sure that the baby was ready for takeoff, she turned her attention to her phone as she'd gotten a text while getting onto the plane. She smiled when she saw it was from Skye and she read the message, seeing that it said, _Girls are all happy, want an e-mail tomorrow?_ She quickly got onto her phone and texted back to the investigator, _Of course, I want to hear how the youngest twins like the house_. When Skye promised to send her the e-mail the next day she switched her phone to airplane mode and turned to Josie, tickling her while they waited to leave the gate.

* * *

"We're here," Skye said with a smile at Ivy.

"I can see," the little girl said with a laugh. She smiled when the investigator squeezed her hand and she looked out again before she said, "It looks really busy here too."

"It's another busy airport," Skye said. "I'm so glad to be home."

Studying her, Ivy wanted to speak but hesitated before she felt her mother touching her shoulder and said, "Do you mean the airport or the city?"

"Clever," Skye said, smiling again. She squeezed her shoulder and then said, "Both actually, I've spent a lot of time here of course."

Ivy nodded before the plane stopped completely and she waited slightly impatiently for them to be able to get up and leave. She took her mother's hand once they could and when they were out she said to her two oldest sisters, "Where are the suitcases?"

"This way don't worry it'll go fast," Kathleen said.

After they were at the carousel, Skye and Mary got their luggage as quickly as they could and then went together out to the curb. They'd hired a van to get them home and once it was loaded they were with the girls in the back rows, letting their three oldest point things out to the youngest twins.

"Too bad we can't go on the 105," Marie said to Skye.

"I know," the investigator replied with a slight smile. "Where I work is on that freeway, you'd be able to see it. But it's more important you see the house first," she told the twins. She smiled when they nodded and let the oldest continue to name everything they could for their new sisters until she saw they were getting close to the house. Skye gave the driver a tip once he had stopped and she and Mary hurried to get their luggage as the van had stopped just past the gate into the front yard. "Welcome home," she said to Ivy and Iris as she and her wife watched the girls staring at the abode.

"This… this is your home?" Ivy gasped out.

"And yours too," Fleur said, squeezing her arm. "And it's the best."

"Grandda!" Marie and Kathleen said at the same time.

"That's him?" Iris said shyly, going to Skye and taking her hand to hide behind her.

"That is," Skye said, smiling at him as he walked toward them after hugging the twins with him. "Hello Dad."

"Hullo lass," Liam replied, coming up to her. He embraced her and said, "It's been too long. Especially since I have more grandchildren now."

"Girls," Mary said after hugging her father in law. "This is Liam, your grandfather."

"Hi," Ivy said, slightly hesitantly.

"Hullo to you both," Liam replied, smiling at them. "If you're wondering why I have a cane I have a bit of a limp as I'm not as young as I used to be."

"And Grandda was a pilot too, like Mum is," Marie said proudly.

"I still fly when I can," Liam said. "You're lucky you have the plane you do."

"I am," Skye said. "But first," she told the girls. "We should get everything inside now, we have a lot to see."

"Are we going to see inside first?" Fleur asked as they walked down the driveway.

"Better we do," Mary said with a smile. She opened the front door and they watched the twins looking around the entry. "We don't normally use this except if we have new friends or more than a few guests over."

"It's pretty," Iris said. "I like the stairs," she added.

"There's two of them," Skye said. "Here and then back by the family room and kitchen."

"We use the other one more," Marie said as they continued.

"There's the living room, our piano is there, and we can teach you if you'd like to learn," Mary said. "The dining room we only use for holidays and if we have a lot more people for meals."

"And there's the kitchen and family room," Skye said. "And the table where we'll eat, you can do your homework here or projects too."

"Now upstairs?" Kathleen asked hopefully. When their mothers nodded she smiled at her twin and they made their way up the stairs before they were on the second floor and they went to their own rooms.

"Drop off your things girls but come back so we can be with your sisters in their new rooms," Mary called to them.

"Is your room there?" Iris asked.

"It is," Skye said since the door she was pointing to was on its own in the opposite direction.

"We're ready," Marie said once she, Kathleen and Fleur were back in the hall with the others.

"We'll go youngest to oldest," Mary said, smiling apologetically at Ivy. "Iris your room is first."

Nodding, the little girl went to Skye and held her hand as Marie was pushing her suitcase. She wasn't surprised when her mother had her go into the second to last room before the foyer staircase first and she gasped as she looked inside. "Oh, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed when she saw the room was painted in a pale yellow; her favorite color.

"You picked a good color," Skye said to Liam.

"That was you lass," he replied, smiling. "But it's a right cheery room."

"How do you like your bed?" Marie asked the little girl.

"It's big… but I love it," Iris said in surprise as it was a four-poster bed with gauzy curtains tied up around it. "And I have drawers?"

"You'll need them I'm sure," Skye said, squeezing her hand before she let her go to look around. "Now there's not much but you have time to decorate."

"Let's see Ivy's now," Iris said suddenly, remembering her twin.

Blushing, the little girl let Skye put her hand on her back before they were going to the room across the hall. Looking around it and the cerulean blue walls, Ivy turned to the investigator and buried her face into her side and mumbled her thank you. She loved the room as the bed was something she loved, a dark wood with a tall bedstead and drawers under as well. She looked up at her mother, about to thank her again when she spoke so lovingly to her that tears welled up in her eyes.

"Welcome to your room and your home Ivy," Skye said firmly but tenderly as well. "We mean for you to stay for a very long time, so you'll have to decorate it to your liking of course."

"Come and see the drawers," Marie said after the two had embraced tightly. "You'll have a lot of space, we have those on our beds too, but Kath and I use them for clothes."

"I use it for my animals," Fleur said then the younger twins looked at her. She smiled and said, "Only Mummy and Mommy don't 'ave that."

"Can we see your room?" Iris asked a little shyly.

"After, you'll have to see your sisters' next," Mary answered.

Walking inside their sisters' rooms, Ivy and Iris exchanged looks at the way they were all decorated. Fleur; her room a pale lilac color; had several framed pictures that she told them were of Paris and Ireland. Kathleen's room was painted in a dark green and had pictures of Ireland and what the family told them were different places in California, all of them of nature. And Marie's they went to last had a very light blue color to the walls with a variety of pictures on them. But they'd noticed that their sisters had a lot of posters for different bands and figurines and they squeezed each other's hands though Skye noticed that quickly.

"Could we get posters too?" Ivy asked.

"And the statues," Iris said so fast that her cheeks turned a bright red in embarrassment though Mary went to them hurriedly and wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

"Of course to both," Skye said first. "And you want _Lladros_?"

"Are those the same as the ones that were at Julia and Eliza's house?" Iris asked.

"They are, we'll look and see what you might want to get later," Skye told her. "Alright girls, we'll unpack your things-"

"Wait, you didn't show them your room," Fleur interrupted.

"You still want to see it?" Mary asked with a smile. When the girls all said they did, she laughed and said, "Alright. _Grá_?"

"We're going right now," Skye replied as she took Ivy and Iris over to the hallway and down to hers and Mary's room. She opened the door and let the twins inside first and told them, "This is our room."

"It's pretty," Ivy said immediately, smiling when her mother squeezed her shoulder. "I like the color of your walls."

"Thank you," Mary said. "We were worried we'd be copying Marie but it's a different color. And of course we have a lot less posters."

"It is," the little girl said with a smile as her mothers' room was blue as well but not as bright a hue as her room was.

"What's that flower?" Ivy asked, pointing to one framed on the wall.

Sharing a glance, Skye and Mary explained their engagement and the flower the former had used for that before they noticed the twins peering at the framed picture more closely.

"Go ahead and look around," Skye then told the two. "Just be careful not to run into anything." She smiled when the younger twins looked at her in confusion and watched them go with their sisters further into the room. She felt a hand on her back and looked at her wife, wrapping her arm around her so they could lean against one another watching their daughters together.

* * *

"Alright, dinner's ready girls," Liam said, stepping up to the doorway of the office and smiling at what he saw inside. "Your mums wouldn't really appreciate you playing with those planes."

"He's right, especially your mum," Mary said, walking up to the man. "Come on, your mum worked very hard on these pizzas."

Hurrying out first, Ivy saw that Skye was looking at her phone and she asked, "Is that plane okay?"

Smiling, the investigator set her phone on the kitchen counter and said, "I wasn't working, just turning down the sound since we're eating together. Come and pick out your seat." Taking her over to the long table where the homemade pizzas she'd made and Mary's salad were as the others were joining them.

Sitting down together the family began to eat once they had passed everything around, the three oldest girls asking their mothers about possible trips before Skye needed to start practicing for the show.

"Hold on," the investigator finally said. "Remember we don't have the time before I need to head in to start to go everywhere you said."

"But we could go somewhere," Marie said hopefully.

"We will, but not just yet," Mary said firmly. "We'll tell you when but for now we get settled back here." She looked at her wife with a smile as their three oldest reluctantly agreed and they turned their attention back to their food until they were finishing and cleaning up.

"Alright you two," Skye said, gesturing to the twins. "Come and see what you'd might like us to order."

"Right now?" Iris said in surprise.

"Of course," Skye said, smiling when the two came over to where she was sitting on the couch with her tablet. She then said, "What would you like, animals or something from another country?"

"What's from another country?" Ivy asked after she'd exchanged a look with her twin.

Skye got that section on her tablet quickly before she handed it to the two, watching them looking over what there was before they looked at each other again. "You found something," she said simply, not surprised when they both laughed shyly before Ivy was speaking first.

"We like these," the little girl told the investigator.

"The _kokeshi_ dolls?" Skye said with a smile. "Very nice. Which ones?"

"I like this one," Iris said, pointing to the one with sunflowers on its kimono. "And Ivy likes that one!"

"I do," the little girl replied shyly.

"It's quite pretty," Skye said, wrapping her arm around her and hugging her. She smiled at her wife before saying, "And it suits you."

"Mum, what can we do tomorrow?" Marie asked after she'd looked at the _kokeshi_ doll with a white and silver kimono.

"We're going to go clothes shopping," Mary answered as she sat next to Skye and brought Fleur to her. "At the Promenade." When the three oldest gasped she smiled and said, "I figured that would get your guys' attention."

"Dad you can join us," Skye told Liam who was sitting next to the couch on an armchair.

"I'll be happy to," the former pilot said. He smiled as Fleur came over to him and said, "I'm so glad you lot are home. Been very boring all on my own."

"Now we're staying for a long time Grandda," Fleur said with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What else can we do?" Kathleen said.

"You're too smart," Skye said wryly. "And we'll spend the day at the pool. For now get some games, we have time before bed." She squeezed her wife's hand before she got up to get some milk for their girls, watching the five look through the games together and feeling more than pleased finally being back home.

* * *

"Well," Mary said, smiling at her wife as she was approaching their bed. "All set at home."

"Partially," Skye said, sliding under the bed sheet. She leaned over and kissed her wife's shoulder saying, "We've got a lot to catch up with tomorrow."

"I guess," Mary replied. When she saw her wife was looking at her she said, "I'm just remembering dinner."

"That was interesting," Skye said since it was their first time with all of them around the table. "Luckily that table fits eight."

"Definitely lucky," Mary said, wrapping her arms around her. She reached for her and gently slid her hand under her pajama top saying, "And we're back home."

"Hmm, in our bed," Skye said, leaning down and kissing her deeply. They became involved in that for some time before she ended one of their kisses and she smirked at Mary saying, "You're not all that tired?"

"I-" the woman started to say before there was a knock on the door that made them turn to it at the same time.

Getting up immediately, Skye rushed to the door and opened it to find that Ivy was there with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Come here," she told her, picking up the little girl and bringing her inside.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Mary asked, having gone to her wife and closing the bedroom door.

"Yeah, I wasn't… I was in another house," Ivy said, sniffing loudly. She whimpered when the two women kissed her on the cheek at the same time and started to cry again though she didn't want to.

Skye wasn't surprised when her wife nodded to their bed and she sat on the end of it with her before they focused their attention on comforting their daughter. When she calmed down she said to Ivy, "What is it lass?"

Sniffing heavily the little girl confessed, "I always wanted a mommy."

"Now you have two," Mary said, smoothing back her hair. "And we're very happy being your mothers."

"Oh aye," Skye said as Ivy looked up at her. "I wouldn't order _kokeshi_ dolls for just anyone." She pressed a kiss to the top of her head and said, "Think you might be able to sleep in your room tonight?"

"I think so," Ivy said with a sigh. "Can't I stay with you and Mommy?"

"I think you can," Skye said.

"She can," Mary agreed. She stood with her wife and watched as the investigator laid their second youngest down and got on, climbing over Ivy to her sleepy giggle.

"Bit lazy there _grá_?" Skye asked her in amusement while she was getting on the bed herself.

"Of course," Mary said. "Goodnight," she told the two. When Ivy just barely said goodnight back she watched with Skye as the little girl fell asleep soon after.

" _Grá_?" the investigator said to her wife softly when she was sure their daughter wouldn't wake up. At the slight sound Mary made Skye said in Japanese, " _Are you alright_?"

" _I wasn't at that point yet_ ," the doctor replied. " _You_?"

" _Neither was I_ ," Skye assured her. " _Hopefully she'll be alright_."

" _I think so_ ," Mary said. She then sat up and said her wife's name before she waited for her to join her.

" _Tomorrow night we'll_ …" Skye said slowly.

" _I hope_ ," Mary replied before they were leaning into one another. When their lips met she reached up to her wife's face and cupped her cheek with her hand before they parted. Smiling at Skye, she leaned into her again and they kissed gently before they pulled apart and she murmured a good night to her.

"Night _grá_ ," Skye replied before they laid down together. She wrapped her arms around Ivy since the little girl immediately snuggled up to her and stroked her hair as her wife was looking at her. She reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder, looking at her in the darkness before their hands met and their fingers entwined as they soon fell asleep together.

* * *

"Girls," Beckett called to her daughters. When they turned around to her she smiled and said, "Come inside the house please."

"But they're gonna be home soon," Eliza complained.

"I know but I'd like you in here with us," Beckett told her though she was directing that to both Eliza and Julia who were under the tree in the driveway.

"It isn't taking a long time is it?" the girl asked as she and her sister were going to the patio.

"No, they should be back in a couple minutes," Beckett said, squeezing their shoulders when they passed her. "Stay inside," she added.

"We will," Eliza said with a sigh.

"I'm glad you found them," Martha commented with a smile as she stepped out into the hall from the family room, Josie in her arms.

"Josa," Eliza squealed, as her sister had been asleep when she and Julia had gone outside. She went to her and took her hand that was clenched in a fist and asked, "Wanna play?"

"What can you play?" Beckett asked her.

"Um… with her tigers," Eliza said quickly.

"I'll watch them," Martha told her daughter in law.

Turning to Julia, Beckett asked her, "What are you going to do?"

"Could I go to Alexis'?" the girl asked.

"I think you should let them unpack and settle in," Beckett told her gently as her stepdaughter and Louis had gone to their townhouse. "They are coming for dinner of course."

"I can't wait for that," Julia said with a smile. "All of us back home…" She sighed and said, "For now."

"We'll be back eventually," Beckett told her, going to her and wrapping her arm around her. "Let's go sit on the porch."

"Really?" Julia asked.

"I only wanted you two inside since Josie was still napping," Beckett replied. She then went to the doorway of the family room and told the two inside where they were going. When she saw that Eliza wasn't pausing in waving Josie's Tigger stuffed doll in front of her she smiled and turned back to her oldest. "I'll have to let you tell them when they come back," she commented as they were stepping out to the porch.

"I feel weird Mom," Julia told her once they were sitting on the bench there. "No trip but then there's LA but we're gonna be going to school…"

Smiling at her Beckett said, "I know what you mean. Your dad and I can't really write while we're there. But we will try."

"Oh… I forgot about your books," Julia said, startled as she had only just realized that. She was about to ask her mother about their 20s book when the gate opened, and she gasped as she jumped up off the bench, looking at her mother.

"Go ahead," Beckett replied, nodding to the front door. She watched Julia go for a moment before turning her attention to the cars heading to the garage. When they stopped outside of it she headed over to them, smiling at her husband as he got out of his car first. "How were they?" she asked when he turned to her.

"Excited," Castle said with a smile. "Probably the best decision we made taking them to LA."

"That was the girls' decision and Skye and Mary okaying it," Beckett told him. "But you're right, we had to bring them." She then needed to turn her attention to the dogs, petting them all as they gathered around her before they all turned at the loud squeals coming from Eliza.

"Puppies!" the little girl cried as she was hugging as many of the dogs as she could at once. She was soon sitting on the driveway as Max and JoJo were trying to lick her face before there was a whistle and snap of fingers. "Thanks Mommy," she said since it had been Beckett who'd done that.

"You're welcome," she replied, helping her daughter stand. "How was their report?" she asked her father who'd gone with her husband to pick up the dogs.

"Why are you asking me?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"She trusts you more of course," Castle commented.

"They were fine," Jim said as the dog B&B that his daughter and son in law used would give reports on how their dogs had been and what they'd done during their stays. "And they went swimming."

"Lucky doggies," Eliza said.

"We're going to the pool right now," Beckett told her. "Come on," she told the dogs, motioning to the open front door so they'd get out of the front yard. "We'll meet you down there," she told her husband as he and her father were walking back to the cars. She went inside and called to the girls, "Are you ready?"

"We're here at the door Mom," Julia called out. "I have Josa's bag."

Hurrying over to the door to the back, Beckett took that from her daughter and said, "Go ahead," as she was taking the baby from her mother in law.

"Here," Martha said with a smile as she got the bag. She walked with Beckett down to the pool and said, "What day will you be in the city?"

Smiling at her Beckett said, "The twenty-fifth, Tuesday. Did you have something after all?" She spoke worriedly as her mother in law was flying with them to LA after the GMA announcement and she knew Julia wanted her to be there.

"Oh no, just making sure so we know when to be ready," Martha said. She smiled when her daughter in law looked completely flabbergasted and said, "There's a former student of mine who has a play out in Hollywood the next night. I mentioned I could go see it."

"You can, we're just going to be getting used to living there and the time change," Beckett said as she stepped forward to open the gate to the pool. "Stay at the chairs," she told the girls as they went inside first.

"We will," Julia said at the same time as her sister, used to their mother saying that when they went to the pool. She set her towel on one of the lounge chairs and then took off her sundress since she was wearing her bathing suit underneath. "Sun screen?" she asked her grandfather.

"I'll help you," Jim said, smiling when Eliza was quick to join her sister.

"That was fast," Beckett said to her husband when he came over to her.

"I know, it seems like we were working quickly," Castle commented. He laughed when his wife playfully pushed his shoulder and he followed her to the carrier next to his mother's lounge chair. He brushed his fingers against the baby's cheek, smiling when she did and vocalized an o sound.

"Go Rick," Beckett said. "We're the only ones with the girls right now."

Leaning over, Castle brushed his lips to her cheek before he pulled back and asked, "Where's our oldest?"  
Glancing at Julia; seeing she was watching them with a slight grin on her face; Beckett said, "They're fine at their home. They need to get used to it and so do we."

"I asked Mom if I could go over there," Julia said, walking to them. "But she said they'll be here for dinner."

"That's true," Castle said. "They know what time, right?"

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling at him. She patted his cheek; as he'd been watching her take off her sun dress; and then went to where Eliza was standing at the steps. They went in together and when the little girl looked at her she braced herself for her asking if Josie would join them when she said something completely different to her surprise.

"Can I go on your back Mommy?" Eliza asked shyly.

Beckett smiled and then said, "Alright," before she was taking her daughter. She walked back over to the steps as Julia was getting into the water and said, "You-"

"'lexis!" Eliza squealed when she saw her sister and Louis coming into the pool.

"Hey, I thought you guys would stay at your place," Castle said in surprise.

"We unpacked," Louis said.

"And we realized we were a little bored all by ourselves there," Alexis added. "And I missed my sisters," she said, smiling at them as Julia and Eliza had gone over to her but just the former was hugging her. "Hold on," she said with a smile before she took off her sundress. She then embraced Eliza and said, "You missed me too?" when she felt how tightly her sister was holding onto her.

"Yeah, Jules wanted to go to your house," the little girl said once she had let Alexis go.

"Come on," the young woman told the two. "Let's get into the water."

"What about sunscreen?" Julia asked.

"I put it on back at our house," Alexis replied. She squeezed their hands and followed them down before she saw her stepmother was walking up to them after swimming in the deep end.

"You'll get used to it," Beckett told her.

"I had to get used to the house in Oxford," Alexis said, not surprised she knew why she and Louis had come to the house. "But you guys are right down the street this time so…"

"'lexis?" Eliza said. When her sister looked down at her she smiled and then asked, "Can me and Jules spend the night?"

"Not tonight," Beckett told her. "Not the first night. Your daddy and I want you here with us." She wasn't surprised when both girls looked disappointed and told them, "Maybe when your sister and Louis are used to having their own home more," smiling when the two looked at their big sister at the same time.

"She's right," Alexis said gently. "Plus, you guys are going to be gone soon. Mind if I swim to the other end?"

"I'll go with you," Beckett said since Castle was stepping into the water. She and her stepdaughter swam together to the other end before they were holding onto the edge of the pool. "How was it?"

"Eerie," Alexis said honestly. She then smiled and said, "But again, we'll get used to it. Also we'll probably be over for a while."

Squeezing her shoulder Beckett said, "Are you worried AJ has everything ready too quickly?"

"I didn't ask you to adopt me for this to go slowly," Alexis said. "I'll be ready." She then ducked under the water and swam back to the shallow end, spotting her father passing her by.

"What?" Beckett asked her husband as he joined her after surfacing. She wasn't surprised when he kissed her, so she was quick to respond to him before cupping his cheek. When they parted she said, "I'm wondering about tonight love."

"Do you want to be celibate?" Castle asked her slowly, glancing around to make sure no one was close.

"In a way," Beckett said, knowing he'd understand what she meant. When he kissed her shoulder she smiled, and they ducked under the water before going back to their family.

Once they'd gone swimming for a while Julia got out of the water and went over to her grandmother saying, "I'm not stopping, I wanted to see Josa."

"You can't take her in," Martha said with a smile.

"I wasn't, but can she go in?" Julia asked.

"It's probably better if you ask your parents if she can," Martha replied.

"She can," Beckett said from the stairs where she was sitting with Eliza, the little girl kicking her legs hard. "Do you mind bringing her?"

"Of course not," Martha said, standing with the baby in her arms. She carried her to the pool and handed her over to Beckett who'd stood, feeling Eliza taking her hand.

"Are you gonna go swimming?" the little girl asked.

"I may dip my feet," Martha replied. "But I need to set aside my sarong, come with me darling."

Watching Eliza go with her to the lounge chairs, Castle turned to his wife to see she was stepping into the water. "How deep are you going to take her?" he asked her.

"The usual," Beckett replied. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course," Castle said quickly. "But for now you're fine holding her."

"Too transparent love," Beckett told him in amusement before she watched him leaning down to her. They kissed briefly but she couldn't help teasing him asking him, "Are you going to do that while we're at the dance studios in LA?" She was expecting him to answer that jokingly, but they were both startled when their oldest spoke first.

"You should do that," Julia said eagerly. "That way the camera can film you and everyone can see." She saw the way her parents were looking at her and couldn't help snorting in her laughter before she said, "I'm kidding; they don't need to see."

"They may even if you're not intending to show them," Martha commented.

"I hate to say she's right but…" Castle started to say, looking at his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Don't tempt fate."

"But I want to," Castle said in a whining tone. He laughed when his wife splashed him, and the baby cooed at the same time before he said, "Julia, come here."

"No way," the girl said with a smile. Julia cried out when her father jumped at her and she swam away with him chasing her before they came around to the shallow end. "I'm not gonna say sorry," she told him once she stopped.

"Don't worry," Castle told her as he ruffled her hair the best he could. "I wasn't going to make you. Just don't say that over there."

"I won't," Julia said, hugging him tightly. "Lizzy, come on," she told her little sister before they started to swim together around the middle of the pool.

"Here," Castle said to his wife, taking their baby from her and pressing his lips to Josie's forehead. "So," he said when the baby was just smiling up at him.

"You said you were hoping she'd be a water baby," Beckett said. She touched his shoulder as he leaned down, and she kissed his cheek before she swam around.

"Dad," Alexis said. "Don't drop her," she said with a smile when her father pretended to jump. "Let me take her."

"Wait, Mother-" Castle said, turning to see her sitting on the step.

"I'm alright here," Martha replied. "Eliza's having fun with everyone."

"Go Dad," Alexis said. She watched him go into the water, swimming to where the girls were before he was picking up Eliza to her squeal. She went to her grandmother and said, "Are you going to enjoy your time off?"

"Of course," Martha replied. "I'll be in sunny California. Skye has a pool and I'm very certain a blender." When her granddaughter looked at her she said, "It puts me in mind of margaritas."

"I'm not surprised," Alexis said with a laugh.

"But I shouldn't talk about that," Martha said. "You-"

"We'll go for the finale," Alexis interrupted her. "We talked to our bosses and luckily they were understanding; but only for that."

"Oh good," Martha said, looking down at the baby that was waving her arms and trying to kick her legs. "You should let her swim," she said to her daughter in law as Beckett had come over to them.

"I don't think I could do that, but I can always dip her feet," she replied. "Unless you want to do that."

Alexis smiled and handed Josie over to her stepmother before she watched Beckett cupping her hand to get some water onto her feet. As the baby cooed she looked over at her father who was swimming over to them with the girls.

"Is she gonna go swimming?" Eliza asked eagerly as she walked up to her mother as soon as her feet reached the bottom.

"No but she's going to get her feet wet," Beckett told her. She smiled watching her daughters tickling Josie's feet and the baby jerking her legs a bit as she vocalized an ah and oh sound. "Easy, don't get her too excited," she told them.

"Put her feet in Kate," Castle said. He smiled at his wife when she looked at him and told her, "She's getting impatient."

Shaking her head Beckett bent her knees so the baby's feet were in the water and she went a little further before standing back up. When Josie looked at her she kissed the top of her head and said, "She'll want to go swimming when she's old enough."

"That takes way too long," Julia said.

"What?" Eliza said since her big sister was looking at her.

"You took a long time too," Julia said before she and her sister were sticking their tongues out at each other.

"Easy you two," Castle said with a smile. "Are we still going to swim?"

"Well… can we play a game now?" Julia asked slowly.

"I think we can," Beckett said, kissing the baby again after Castle had done so. She handed Josie to her father and then left the pool with her husband so they could go to the room with the games and supplies. " _Not here_ ," she told him in Irish as he touched the small of her back exposed by the bottoms of her bikini when they were inside.

" _Later_?" Castle asked.

" _Of course_ ," Beckett said with a smirk over her shoulder as he shuddered. She took his kiss to the side of her neck and she reached up to cup his cheek behind her. Looking over at him again she smiled before they turned their attention back to the room so they could pick one of their daughters' games and return to the pool and their family.

* * *

"I'm so glad we got to come here," Julia said.

"You should be glad they have the indoor course," Martha told her. She smiled when her granddaughter nodded rapidly in agreement and then asked the girls with her, "You've thanked your parents right?"

"I did," Eliza said firmly.

"Alright," Martha said with a slight laugh.

"So did I," Julia said, speaking a little absently as she watched Castle and Beckett walking back to them. "We can play now?" she asked as soon as they were close enough.

"We can but remember we'll take our time," Beckett answered first. "The games aren't going anywhere." When her daughter playfully made a face at her she said, "I know what you're thinking already."

"We knew a while ago," Castle added.

"Thanks," Julia said, taking the golf club that her father handed to her. "And I do want to play golf too."

"Are we gonna have dinner here?" Eliza asked eagerly as she took the golf club Beckett gave her.

"No, back at home," Castle said quickly. "You want to spend time with the dogs don't you?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, taking his hand as they walked to the first hole. "Do I go first?" she asked him.

"Of course," Castle replied with a smile at her serious tone. "Do you need any help?" He wasn't surprised when she shook her head no firmly and he stepped aside and watched her set down her golf ball before she studied where she needed to go.

Watching her sister, Alexis turned to her boyfriend when he touched her arm and she smiled at him before she said, "You're not bored?"

"Of course not," Louis replied. He then smiled and said, "I'm surprised your parents were alright with us coming here."

"Well… since they're headed to LA I think they want them to have some time here," Alexis said once she'd thought that over. She then smiled and said, "We should bring them while they're in Ireland."

Nodding his head Louis said, "Good time for us to relax before work starts."

"It is," Alexis said with a smile, not surprised he'd said that. She had to take her turn next, and she walked over to the tee.

"What?" Beckett asked her husband once they were walking to the next hole.

"No, just, listening in on their conversation," Castle commented.

"You probably shouldn't do that," Beckett said wryly.

"Couldn't help it, they were right there," Castle said, nodding behind them. He wasn't surprised when she shook her head and he squeezed her arm before she was going next, waiting for her before he was taking his own turn. They went across the course until they were finishing at the eighteenth and they went to the café seating near the arcade. "We can play five dollars each," he said, handing the bills to the girls. "And then we'll head home."

"You don't want to play with them Martha?" Beckett asked her mother in law.

"I'll rest," Castle's mother replied with a smile. "Have fun and you'll have to show me if you win anything with your tickets," she said, directing the last to the girls.

"We will," Julia and Eliza said at the same time. They smiled at each other as their family laughed and they took each other's hands and pretended they were going to leave when their mother quickly called out to them.

"I know you two are kidding but we're not ready just yet," Beckett said.

"What else do you need to do?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"Check on Josie," Castle said. "She's fine," he told his mother and wife as he'd just been checking on the baby. "Are you coming with us Jim?"

"I'll take the girls," Beckett's father replied.

Beckett was about to speak but when she saw how eager the girls were as they rushed over to him she kept herself from doing that. She then turned to her stepdaughter and asked, "What about you two?"

"I think we'll go on our own," Alexis replied before she took Louis' hand.

"Is anyone surprised they're going to race?" Castle commented as they'd been watching the pair walk to the door out to the rides and go-karts.

"I wonder who's gonna win," Julia said before anyone could respond to her father's question. She wasn't surprised when they laughed, and she and her sister were soon walking with their grandfather over to the arcade.

"Did we just get left alone?" Castle asked his wife.

"Yes, but I don't think they were planning anything," Beckett said with a smile. "Are you going to play?"

"I might," Castle said, glancing at his mother.

"Have fun," Martha said with a smile, watching the pair leave her. She turned her attention to Josie who was staring at her and she leaned over, kissing the backs of her hands before saying, "You'll do the same with your sisters kiddo, now let's watch the games," as she took her out of the carrier.

"Are you going to join me?" Castle was asking his wife as they made their way over to the coin machine.

"It depends on what you're going to go to," Beckett replied, watching him put the five into the machine. Once he had the tokens she smiled and said, "Skeeball or video game?"

"Skeeball," Castle said quickly before they walked over to the games.

"Hi Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said with a smile, turning to her parents as she, her sister and grandfather were just finishing their games.

"Having fun?" Beckett asked her, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I got tickets," Eliza said as she held them up to show her.

"Nice, think you're going to get anything?" Castle said though there weren't too many there.

"Maybe," Julia answered before her sister could.

"You're going to put the tickets together?" Beckett said, taking the token her husband handed her.

"Yep, have fun," Julia said before they left her parents to play.

"You're sure this isn't a plan?" Castle asked his wife jokingly once he'd turned to her.

Laughing softly, Beckett said, "I'm sure. Don't equate conspiracies with our daughters."

"Sure," Castle replied simply. When his wife nudged him, he laughed before he turned his attention to the game in front of him. As he was throwing he could just barely see out of the corner of his eye his wife doing the same. When he had finished he ripped out the tickets and said, "We're going to have to find the girls."

"You don't want to get something yourself?" Beckett said as she was handing him the tickets she'd gotten.

"Well… I guess we should look at what they have first," Castle said in mock seriousness. When she squeezed his arm before taking it he squeezed her hand and they went together over to the racing game.

"I'm sure we could go," Julia was telling her grandfather over at the bumper cars that were indoors. "They know you'll go with Lizzy."

"We need to ask still," Jim said.

"I know where they are," Julia said before she left them.

"Is she gonna get in trouble?" Eliza asked their grandfather as they were watching them.

"No, they're right there," Jim said as he'd been able to see his daughter and son in law at the end of the arcade.

"Hey," Castle said, spotting the girl first.

"Grandpapa can still see me," Julia said hurriedly. She smiled at her father and said, "I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"No," Beckett said in amusement. "But did you tell your grandpapa that you were going to come over here?"

"No," Julia said slowly. "But he can see me," she reminded them.

"Alright, are you going to join us?" Beckett said as she saw her father and Eliza were still over by the bumper cars.

"No, we want to know if we can go with Grandpapa," Julia said.

"Yes, but make sure your sister goes with him," Castle said. He shared a look with his wife and they walked after their oldest before they stood at the railing while their daughters and her father got in two of the cars there.

"Hi Mommy!" Eliza said happily as she was sitting in one car with Jim. "Hi Daddy!"

"Hey, be careful," Castle said as the cars started up.

"Then it would just be cars," Julia said with a frown before she stepped on the gas and started to drive over to Eliza and their grandfather.

Squealing when her sister hit them, Eliza started to turn since her grandfather was pressing on the gas. She moved the wheel back and forth but when Jim held it straight she laughed before they reached Julia who'd been trying to drive away.

Watching them, Castle couldn't help himself and he kissed his wife's temple before wrapping his arm around her. When Beckett glanced at him he looked at her a little intently, wondering if he could kiss her a little more than just her temple before there was the sound of a smack and laughter. They looked out at their daughters and Jim together, laughing as they saw the girls were pretending to be aggressive. He was going to ask her if they could go by themselves again when he felt a hand on his back that made him jump before he could stop himself.

"What?" Alexis asked in amusement as her father turned to look at her.

"Who won?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter.

"We weren't racing," Louis said. When he saw the way his girlfriend's parents were looking at him he mumbled jokingly, "At least I wasn't."

"It was a close finish," Alexis said laughingly. "But it was nice to get to do."

"How is it outside?" Castle asked as they looked over to see Jim and the girls leaving the ride.

"Still warm," Louis said. "Were you going to go out?"

"The bumper boats?" Beckett asked her husband. When he nodded she laughed softly and then said, "We'll see after we finish here in the arcade."

"Hi 'lexis," Julia said as she was first to reach the others. "Want to drive around with us?"

"Sure," Alexis said. "Are any of you going to go?"

"Oh, give over," Louis said in feigned annoyance as she was looking at him. He laughed with her and couldn't help wrapping his arm around her shoulders, squeezing slightly before he said, "What about you?"

"We'll go," Beckett said first since he'd directed that to herself and Castle. "No racing though."

"I wanna," Eliza said suddenly.

"Another time," Castle said since he knew she was referencing the go-karts outside.

As they walked into the line Beckett looked back at her husband at his squeeze to her hand and she smiled, understanding he was letting her know already what he wanted to try to do. She shook her head quickly before they let go of each other, walking to the bumper cars so they could play with their daughters until they returned to the arcade.


	36. Sentimental Journey Home (Part 2)

Using the chopper and scraper that her father let her use, Eliza smoothed out the very top tier of the sandcastle she'd been making with her sister, Mari and Dani. When they'd returned home her parents had started dinner and she and her sisters had gone out with their grandparents to spend time on the sand though they were only going into the water up to their knees. While they'd been playing the Fosters had come over and their friends' parents had gone up to the house to help with dinner while the rest of them had started to play. "Are we finished?" she asked her big sister and Mari.

"I think so," Julia said, studying it closely. "Yeah, that's good. Now we just need to decorate everything."  
"Are they going to be surprised we made a city?" Mari said to her friend as their little sisters were heading to the grass to pluck some long stems.

"I think so, that many buildings?" Julia asked with a smile as Eliza and Dani had made the tinier 'buildings' with a smaller pail mold.

"Are you glad to be home?" Mari said while they were picking up some shells.

"Of course, but I really want to go," Julia said. "And really know who Skye's gonna dance with. It's driving me crazy!"

Mari laughed with her before she threw a whelk type shell into the pail Julia had and said, "Me too, he'll be our… coach?"

"I guess, if we do dance," Julia said. When she saw the look on her friend's face she said in protest, "What? I don't want to say we will; just in case." She saw Mari was about to comment when she heard her grandfather calling to them and realized how far down the beach they had gone. "We better go," she said with a smile before Mari nodded and they took each other's hands and ran together over to where their sisters were.

"Why did you go so far?" Eliza asked her sister when they were with them.

"I didn't see where we were," Julia said honestly.

"Neither did I," Mari was quick to add. She then smiled and said, "But we're back now and we have shells!"

Watching the girls, Jim said to Martha, "I wonder what they'll want to do next."

"Hmm, I'm hoping that they'll stay on land," Castle's mother said. "And they might."

Looking at her, Jim then glanced behind them and saw his daughter was coming down to the grass with Rebecca and he stood up to go over to them. "Is it ready?" he asked her when they were close.

"Almost," Beckett replied. "They're going to bring it out, we need to get the blankets ready." She let him take the one she was holding on top and then said, "How's Josie?"

"She's fine, she hasn't needed you," Jim said. He paused and then turned to his daughter saying, "That sounds a lot worse than I meant it."

"Don't worry," Beckett said with a smile. "I knew." She then let Rebecca take the second blanket from her before she went to her mother in law. "I came to get Josie," she told her.

"I had a feeling," Martha said, relinquishing her hold of her youngest granddaughter. She watched Beckett hold the baby to her shoulder and she smiled saying, "Did my son have you leave?"

"No," Beckett replied, not surprised she had guessed what she had done. "But that's because I feel like I haven't spent much time with her today. And of course, once we get to LA I'll have less time."

"When will you stop nursing?" Martha asked.

"Once her first tooth comes in," Beckett replied. "But she might stop a little sooner; you and Dad will need to feed her by bottle."

"I wouldn't worry," Martha said, sensing her daughter in law had some uncertainty about that. "You'll want to ease her into the bottle."

Nodding, Beckett was about to sit in the chair next to her when she heard Eliza calling to her and she walked down in time to see Alexis and Louis were heading back to them from their walk down the beach. "What is it?" she then asked, turning her attention to the girls.

"We finished the castle Mommy," Eliza said, taking her free hand.

Going to the sand where she'd been able to see the different shapes, Beckett smiled and said, "You had enough time for a city."

Giggling, Eliza nodded and hugged her before she said, "Can we take pictures?"

"Should I get my phone?" Louis asked.

Nodding Beckett watched as the young man started taking pictures of the structures until she spotted her husband and David walking out to them. "Dinner's ready," she told the others with a smile.

Julia, Eliza and Mari were quick to get their fathers and Rebecca to the city, showing it off before they gathered on the blankets. They ate their sandwiches, talking together about their plans though the kids mostly talked about what they wanted to do.

"I just hope they'll be alright with the fact that there will be school," Beckett commented to Rebecca as she was talking to the woman towards the end of the meal. "Please try to come when you can."

"I may be on my own," Rebecca commented, glancing at her husband.

"Dani?" Beckett said in slight surprise.

"She may stay with David," Rebecca replied. "If I come I'll arrive on Sunday morning and leave right after the show. It's the best I can do."

Seeing the doubt on her friend's face, Beckett touched her arm and said, "Does Mari know about that?"

"Of course, we discussed it with her when we talked about her going with you guys," Rebecca said. "She said she won't mind too much but she'll miss us like crazy."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett commented. She was going to speak again when Rebecca squeezed her arm and she looked at her questioningly.

Shaking her head, the woman told her, "I tried to see if it could work but I have cases coming up. And I just took off for the summer; we both did; so it's not working out. But she has a tablet with Skype so…"

"Whenever you want to talk to her just call us and we'll make sure she can," Beckett replied.

Rebecca smiled and said, "I had a feeling you'd do that, thank you. Are you taking them both to the show?"

"Of course," Beckett said with a smile as they stood up. "But Eliza's staying with the others; they're heading to JFK."

"By her own choice?" Rebecca asked with another smile.

"Yeah," Beckett said before they both laughed together. They went to their kids and took their plates, letting them stay so they could play while they stopped their husbands from joining them.

"I have one thing I wanted to ask about," Rebecca said as she was washing and her friend was setting the clean items where they needed to go.

"Why you did that when this is my house?" Beckett asked, nodding to the faucet.

"Exactly," Rebecca said, being serious. She then smiled and said, "No, Adare." When her friend looked at her with wide eyes she said, "Not that, are you staying in the area? You're not going anywhere else since I know you're staying the day after."

Beckett dried a cup and said, "We don't have anything planned the next day. We've thought about going back to the beach on the Dingle Peninsula but we're not going to decide until we're there. It's still a technical vacation of course." She dried the last item she needed to and once they had washed their hands she said, "Would you like to play badminton with the kids?"

"Of course," Rebecca said. "But we're heading home soon. Bedtime."

"It'll be theirs soon too," Beckett said as they made their way over to the door out to the back. "Whether they want to go or not. I'm tired from traveling… and there's more to come." She and Rebecca looked at each other and started to laugh before they made their way down to where their families were playing or talking together.

* * *

"Hey love," Castle said as he stepped into Josie's room.

"Hey, you just left them?" Beckett asked.

"They were fine with it," Castle said. "And they're not alone," he said, though he wasn't surprised to see her smiling after that. "But I am surprised they came up here with you," he said as he sat on the bed across from where she was sitting in the rocking chair.

"They usually do," Beckett said, taking Josie's hand where it was resting on her breast. She let the baby curl her hand around her index finger and said, "What about their game?"

"They decided to play with one of their Play-Doh sets," Castle explained.

"Oh," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me." She watched her husband stand up and take the towel from her shoulder which made her tell him, "Or that."  
"I feel like I haven't spent much time with her," Castle commented, leaning over slightly and kissing the top of his wife's head before he cupped the back of their baby's head.

"I said that earlier to your mom," Beckett said. Josie finished nursing, so she handed her over to him, standing up as he started to gently pat the baby's back before she fixed her sundress.

"You were thinking about next month too," Castle commented. When his wife nodded he said, "At least we've got time now."

"We do," Beckett replied, smiling as she watched him gently rub her back. "But right now she needs to get to sleep."

Nodding, as he knew that was her telling him to get the baby to sleep, Castle concentrated on that once she was settled. When he felt her relax fully against him he asked his wife, "Did she take a while?" as quietly as he could.

Beckett merely smiled at him before following him over to the crib, kissing the baby first before Castle was and then laying her down on the mattress. She took his hand while they watched Josie sleeping and finally she pulled it gently so he'd start walking with her to leave the baby to sleep. Outside the room she turned to her husband as he closed the door slightly, waiting for him to turn to her before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Leaning his head down, Castle took his wife's lips just before he gripped her a little more tightly. He knew they needed to rejoin the rest of their family, but he couldn't help himself and he gently slipped his tongue into her mouth. They caressed against each other for a bit before they slowly pulled apart from one another and he murmured into her ear, " _Ní ba mhaith liom an chid eile den oíche seo a dhéanamh_ ," telling her that he wouldn't mind doing that the rest of the night.

Smiling, Beckett moved so she could look into his eyes and she cupped his face with her hands, leaning over to brush her lips against his. " _Tá an t-am ar fad againn ar fud a domhain; níos déanaí_ ," she told him, which meant they had all the time in the world, adding the word later last wryly.

Pretending to think that over; after they'd heard the laughter of their other daughters downstairs; Castle nodded and said, "Okay."

Beckett laughed at his English and they shared a brief kiss before they headed to the stairs and down to the family room, getting their daughters' attention when they walked inside.

"Hi Mommy," Eliza said since Beckett was ahead of Castle.

"What're you guys doing?" he asked as the little girl got up and hurried to him.

"Just Play-Doh stuff," Julia said simply. "Josa's asleep?"

"She is," Beckett said. "If you guys want to head home you can," she said to Alexis and Louis.

"We're a little tired from traveling," the young woman said with a smile, not surprised her stepmother had guessed their desire to go to the townhouse. "But we don't want to leave."

"You do want to spend time in your home however," Jim stated.

Alexis looked at him and then said as she smiled again, "We'll come back tomorrow."

"You don't have to," Castle said as his wife nudged him in the side.

"We do, especially if you're going to be going swimming," Louis commented.

"We'll see where we swim tomorrow," Beckett said when Julia and Eliza immediately turned to her. "But we will swim."

"Can we invite the others?" Eliza asked.

"The Davises too?" Castle asked her. When both the girls nodded he smiled and said, "We will but it depends on them if they come over with us."

"We know," Julia said. When everyone was quiet, she looked at Alexis and said, "So you're gonna go?"

"Yeah," the young woman replied, putting her arm around her little sister's shoulders as she came up to her. "I hope it's alright, Louis and I are staying home for breakfast; we'll come over once we're done."

"That's fine," Beckett said swiftly as she knew the girls were going to protest. "We'll be ready for you."

"I'll call," Alexis said as they stopped at the front door. She was startled when her stepmother shook her head and said, "I can't just barge in," glancing between her stepmother and father.

"If we're all here…" Beckett began with.

"Oh…" Alexis said as she realized she was right. "Good point," she said before she turned her attention to her boyfriend who was walking over with her father.

"He's given us some of the sandwiches from dinner Lex," Louis said.

"More than that," Alexis said, studying the bag he was carrying.

"Some milk and fruit," Castle told his daughter. "And some eggs; just until you can get over to the market."

"Should do that tomorrow," Louis told his girlfriend.

"We will," Alexis said before they turned their attention to saying goodbye to her family.

"Are you gonna keep coming over?" Eliza asked after they'd finished.

"Until we need to go to work," Alexis replied. "Night."

"Night," Beckett called to the pair as they stepped outside and went to their car. When the gate was closed behind them she turned to the others, glancing at Eliza with a smile before she took the little girl's hand to lead her to the stairs.

* * *

"Are you settled?" Louis asked as he and his girlfriend got onto their bed. It was later in the night and they'd spent some time watching TV together, just taking the time to get used to their new home.

"I don't know… I'll see once we spend more time here," Alexis replied, moving over to him. When he wrapped his arm around her she said, "Once we start our jobs I'll still want to head over to my family's."

"I had a feeling," Louis said with a nod. He then said with a smile, "Do your parents know that?"

"I'm sure they do," Alexis said. She stretched a little and told him, "What will you make with four eggs?"

Laughing briefly Louis said, "I'll tell you tomorrow once I can start. Would you like something special?"

"No," Alexis said, gently caressing his chest though he was wearing a shirt. "But our first dinner…"

"That I'll make for you," Louis commented. He reached up to her head and gently began to run his fingers through her hair, feeling her shake in what he knew was pleasure at his touch. "Alexis?" he asked her.

"What?" she said with a smile as she raised her head a bit to look at him.

"I've told you I've loved your hair, right?" Louis answered.

"Oh of course," Alexis said, reaching up to his head and gently running her fingers through his. She bit at the side of her mouth before telling him, "I'm fond of yours too."

Louis took her kiss but when they parted he studied her and said, "Alright?"

"I'm not sleepy," Alexis said, sitting up with him. She shook her head and said, "I'll make some-" before her boyfriend was suddenly kissing her and hard. She couldn't help crying out into his mouth as he knocked them back. "Wait," she said when he moved away from her. She couldn't help laughing when he looked at her in confusion and she raised her head to brush her lips to his before laying back down. "Clothes?" she asked him finally.

"I see," Louis said slowly. He then smiled before they laughed together, and he kissed her again before they sat back up and he took the bottom of her pajama top and deftly pulled it off. "I wonder," he said. "If this wouldn't be far better in the bath."

"I think that would be perfect," Alexis said while she was pulling off his t-shirt. They leaned in to each other before she let out a slight squeak of surprise as his hand slipped into her panties. "Or did you change your… Louis," she started to say before she moaned when he rubbed his fingers along her sex as he made her lay back against him.

"Just want to see you're ready Lex," he said as he let her go. When she shoved him, he took her hands and said, "But I wouldn't just leave you abandoned _ma dame_."

Rolling her eyes at his nickname he had given her during their intimacy, Alexis wasn't sure why he had chosen the phrase my lady or to say it in French, but she feigned being annoyed though she enjoyed hearing him calling her that. She then reached out and gripped his hand tightly before nearly hauling him out of the bed. "You'll pay me back for that you know," she told him as they stood in the doorway of the bathroom. When her boyfriend nodded she kissed him hard and squealed for a moment before he swept her inside, slamming the door shut behind them.

* * *

Watching the ink run over the side of the ink bottle from her pen, Julia thought for a moment of what she wanted to put in her diary. She was in her room with Macca and JoJo for company while her parents were making some tea and she was being given time to write in her diary which she hadn't done since before they'd left on vacation. Finally she moved the pen to the book and started with the date.

 _August 2nd, 2020_

 _I know it's been a while since I wrote in here diary, but I was on vacation like I told you about last time. And it was so much fun. So fun. I can't really write that much about it 'cause it was more than two weeks of stuff, but Disney World was awesome. Each park was as good as the others and there were so many fun rides I hope we go back so Lizzy and Josa get to go on the rides they didn't get the chance to ride, especially Josa. Universal Studios was nice, the Harry Potter stuff was in two parks! And they had the Hogwarts Express! And Mom and Dad wore Ravenclaw robes! (I'm laughing in my head right now at all the ! but it was really fun)_

 _And then we went to DC and that was so cool since we went to some great places. We even went to a park there! Well… Mom said it was in Virginia… Williamsburg I think it's called. But it was neat 'cause each part of it was a country, really cool and I have so many pictures from everywhere. It was nice to see Patrick and his family, I know Lizzy loved getting to play with Maddy. I wish they lived here, but Mom said they'll come with us to Brennan's house for Christmas. But that's so far away!_

 _Oh, I need to go, I hear Mom and Dad walking down the hall to me. We just came home today, went swimming in the pool, went to the Family Fun place and then had dinner with Mari and her family on the beach. It was a great day too!_

Julia closed her book and quickly got her pen cleaned just as her parents walked in, making her smile over at them before her mother was placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Did you finish?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I wasn't gonna write about the whole trip," Julia replied, standing up and then wrapping her arms around her mother.

"I'm glad you didn't, we wouldn't have been able to play," Castle said after he'd smiled at the two embracing.

"We get to play cards?" Julia asked once she and her mother had let go of each other.

"If you'd like," Castle commented as the two came over to where he was sitting on the side of the bed. "We haven't been able to do this for a while."

"A long time," Julia said. "I hope we can do this in LA."

"We will," Beckett said once they were sitting. "But if you're wondering if we'll be able to play on our own I'm not sure. There'll be a lot of us."

"I guess it doesn't have to be us on our own," Julia said.

"We have time now," Beckett reminded her as Castle was dealing the cards for them to play War. "But I wanted to ask was there anything you wanted to do here before we go?"

Thinking about that Julia took her stack of cards and then said, "I guess just swim here at home as much as we can."

"We will," Castle said. He then noticed a look pass over the girl's face and he asked, "What is it?"

"I wanted to go to the library, but I don't have time to read, do I?" Julia said.

"No, but you have your own books," Beckett said after taking the cards she'd won. "What?" she asked as she'd seen the look the two had exchanged.

"Could we go downtown?" Julia said slyly in response.

Sighing Beckett said, "You get two books for the trip."

"Thanks," Julia said eagerly.

"But you need to practice first of course," Castle said. He glanced at his wife and then said, "And I guess your schoolwork too."

"You meant to say that first," Julia said with a smile after she'd looked at her mother.

"I did," Castle commented, smiling at Beckett.

"Keep playing," she said, rolling her eyes though she was smiling soon afterwards. Beckett then squeezed his hand and said, "We don't have that much time," as their daughter had started to yawn.

"I can tell," Castle said.

"Hey," Julia said as something suddenly came to her. "What about your tea?"  
"We just had one mug and we shared it," Beckett answered. "So we've had our tea."

"Oh," Julia said, unable to help yawning widely again. She rubbed her left eye as she was about to reach for her cards when she suddenly felt a hand next to hers. "But-" she began as her parents got off her bed.

"You're about to fall onto the bed," Castle said simply. He smiled at her and said, "And this way you have energy for tomorrow." He kissed the top of her head when she nodded, her arm wrapped around Macca who had laid down next to her. He went to his wife; as she'd set the deck of cards on the desk; and he kissed her cheek.

"Night Mom," Julia said, smiling as her mother came over to her. She hugged her and then hugged her father tightly, telling them both that she loved them. She smiled when they kissed her and told her the same before she hugged and kissed the dogs. Laying down she said to her mother, "I'm glad we got to come back first."

"Believe me I am too," Beckett said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "But for now, sleep."

"I will," Julia said after she had laughed softly. She watched her parents leave the room and she turned onto her side, looking at the wall. She wasn't staring at anything in particular, just listing off dance moves in her head until she finally fell asleep.

"She took a while," Castle whispered as he and his wife were at the doorway.

Shaking her head, Beckett took his hand and pulled him over their room, feeling him walking after her quickly. She didn't speak until the door was closed behind them, only able to utter the beginning of the word she before her husband was kissing her passionately. She responded rapidly and held onto him until they parted, and she caressed the back of his neck before he was murmuring against her lips gently.

"What do you want to do right now?" Castle asked her.

"Remember what we talked about?" Beckett said.

Sighing Castle reluctantly let his wife go and told her, "I do but I was hoping you didn't." When she just smiled he said, "Get ready for bed?"

"Mmm-hmm," Beckett said simply. "But we need to change separately."

"You don't trust me?" Castle asked her in surprise and slightly hurt.

Shaking her head Beckett said quickly, "Myself." She smiled again when he watched her with wide eyes and she went into the closet to change into pajamas. "Rick," she called once she'd finished.

"Yeah," Castle said, watching her walk out into the bedroom. "What?" he said, startled slightly at the look on her face.

"No, I wanted to ask if you would mind me not taking my nightgown to Adare," Beckett said.

"That was always up to you," Castle replied as he went to her and took her hand. "I just asked since you said you weren't taking any lingerie."

"I didn't say I wasn't," Beckett said, though she could recall that conversation well and had specifically said she wasn't for a reason. "I said I'd need to see." She held her hand up to him before he could say anything and said, "I still need to, but I'd like to keep the nightgown out."

"Okay," Castle said simply as he didn't really want to argue.

Beckett was unsure at first if he was fine with that but studying him she realized he was so she squeezed his hand before letting go since they were inside the bathroom. She started to brush her teeth and did so quickly before she was cleaning her face. Drying it off after she finished she suddenly paused and put down her towel.

"What?" Castle asked as he'd been drying his hands and saw her pausing in the mirror.

"It's Julia," Beckett said, hurrying out of the room with him following her. When she opened the bedroom door she wasn't surprised when their oldest rushed into her arms and she held her tightly before bringing her inside.

"Are you alright?" Castle said as he closed the door behind them.

"Come sit," Beckett told her, pulling the girl over to the chairs in front of the fireplace and sitting on an armchair. She brought her daughter onto her lap and wasn't surprised when Julia twined her arms around her and she held onto her, rubbing her back. She smiled slightly at her husband who was sitting on the coffee table in front of her and she turned her attention to their daughter. "Tell me sweetie," she told her.

"It's… I don't think it's anything," Julia said hesitantly.

"Don't say that," Beckett said firmly. "It upset you so much, it's something."

Sighing Julia said, "I was in the dark and I just didn't know where I was… I was alone."

"You're not," Beckett said, wondering what had brought on that nightmare since her daughter had had that one before. "Is it because we've been moving around so much?"

"I guess," Julia said, slightly uncomfortably. She pulled back to look at her mother and said, "Have you had that nightmare?"

"Not exactly," Beckett said. "I'm in the dark too, but I can't find you, or your sisters or dad."

"Oh…" Julia breathed out. She pressed against her again and said, "Sorry about waking you up."

"You didn't," Castle said, feeling that was when he needed to come in. "We were getting ready still."

"Do I have to go back to my bed?" Julia asked them, glancing at her father.

"You do," Beckett said, letting her go so she could stand up. Once she was off the chair she watched the girl hug her father and smiled before the two turned to her, startling a bit her as Julia was smiling herself.

"I can go back to bed by myself," the girl said.

"You can but you don't want to," Beckett told her gently. When her daughter frowned she held her arm out to her and once she was in her embrace she told her, "It's alright you know."

"Is it okay if you come with me?" Julia asked shyly, looking at them both.

"Come on, you need some sleep," Beckett said as she pulled her over towards the door. They walked out together into the hall and she held her close to her side until they reached her room and she let her go. "Did you tell them to stay?" she asked as the two dogs were there on the bed, watching them.

"I did," Julia said. "I didn't want to make too much noise."

"Thank you for that," Beckett said absently. She turned her attention to her daughter and said, "Do you want us to lay down with you."

Shaking her head Julia said, "I just wanted you to tuck me in again."

"Are you sure? It would be fine if we did that," Castle said.

"I'm sure Dad," Julia said with a smile at him. She went over to him and hugged him tightly saying, "Thanks though."

"You're welcome, sweet dreams okay?" Castle said.

"I will," Julia replied. She gave him another squeeze before she went to her mother and hugged her.

"Hold on," Castle said, going to her and sharing a kiss with her. "I know you're going to do the same with your mom."

"Yeah," Julia replied with a smile. She then turned her attention to her mother and said, "I still feel bad."

"It's alright, we were finishing getting ready," Beckett was quick to remind her. She ran her hand over her hair and said, "Do you want us to stay?"

"What if I take a while to sleep?" Julia asked though she sounded hopeful.

"You won't," Castle commented.

"Thanks," Julia said before she sat on the edge of her bed and reached out to her mother. They shared a kiss and she moved to climb onto the bed fully before she laid down and watched Beckett cover her. "Night."

"Night sweetie," she told her. Once she was sure Julia was settled she squeezed her daughter's shoulder and Beckett left her, walking to Castle and taking his hand so they could go to the doorway where they stood to watch their daughter. She wasn't surprised when Julia fell asleep soon after that and sharing a glance with her husband they walked together back to their room.

"Kate," Castle said once he'd closed the door behind them. "Do you really think her nightmare is from-"

"No," Beckett said firmly. She wasn't surprised when her husband just looked at her and said, "It's nerves about the show. We've been talking about it all day, she's nervous possibly being on TV. But I don't want to mention it because it's normal." When he opened his mouth to speak she covered it with her fingers and gently said, "If this keeps happening though then we'll talk to her."

Nodding Castle followed her over to the bed and said, "Do you think it will?"

"No, we just need to stop talking about it," Beckett said. Sitting up against her pillows she watched him walk around the bed and said, "Which will be difficult, I know, but we need to try at least."

"Until we get close to the GMA announcement?" Castle asked her.

"Until then," Beckett replied with a smile. She sighed and said, "But I hope she at least sleeps tonight."

"I'm sure she will," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her. He pulled her close to him, pressing his lips against her temple before he murmured there, "Would you like to get to sleep now?"

"No," Beckett said again. She wrapped both her arms around him before she pressed closer and murmured to him, "I just want to make sure."

"I don't blame you," Castle replied. He reached up to her hair and gently began to caress it as they were both silent for a while. Eventually he started to realize that he was feeling something resting on his thigh. At first, he thought his wife was asleep and he looked down at her, slightly startled to find that she was gazing back at him. "Kate…" he said a little huskily.

With her husband leaning down to her, Beckett was ready when his lips met hers and she slowed her eyes the second they did. She let him lead things before she shivered at the way his tongue slid across her lips before they slowly parted. "Rick," she said, her hands on his shoulders.

"I have to leave this to you love," Castle said, his voice heavily strained.

At first Beckett was going to tell him that she would open the door before he leaned over suddenly and pressed a few kisses to her jaw. "L-lock the door… please," she said, her thought out words flying out the window at the rush of warmth that struck her at his touch. She wrapped her arms around herself as he left her swiftly, and she bit at her lower lip before watching him coming to her as he'd gone to her side of the bed.

"I'm kicking myself inwardly, but you said you wanted to wait for…" Castle started to say as his wife reached down to the bottom of his shirt.

"You can say it," Beckett said. She smiled slightly when he shook his head and said, "Fine, the actual lovemaking. And I did, we have a lot more than that we can do Rick."

Breathing out hard, Castle nodded and then raised his arms as she was pulling up on his shirt. "Should I leave the details to you?" he asked.

"No," Beckett said in amusement before she stood up from the bed, taking off her pajama top. She discarded the rest of her clothes easily before she leaned over and brushed her lips against her husband's saying, "Not much of a show."

"I don't need a show," Castle said, grabbing her and nearly throwing her onto the middle of the bed. When he heard her laughing he leaned down to her stomach and gently kissed at it before he said, "What do you want to do? At the same time? Separate?"

Beckett pulled him back up to her and told him, "You need to take off your clothes first."

"Sure," Castle said before he got off the bed and hurriedly removed his pants and boxers. The second everything was off he moved back to his wife, kissing her deeply before he ran his hand down her thigh that he could reach. Their tongues met in her mouth and he dueled with her for a bit, pulling back as he needed to breathe. "Love…" he started to say.

"Here," Beckett replied, pushing gently on his shoulders. When he moved quickly she had to reach for him as he was going to get out of her reach. She made him lay down before she straddled him, and she told him with a smile, "I figure at the same time like this wouldn't be too bad."

"Not at all," Castle said, reaching over and holding his wife by her hips.

Beckett bit at her lower lip at his touch before she pushed herself to move and she leaned over, resting her hands on his chest. "Do you want me to move when we come?" she asked him.

Shaking his head Castle said, "Go ahead and do what you'd like to."

"Are you sure?" Beckett asked, startled. She kissed him as he leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. They lingered for some time, kissing repeatedly until she stopped him and said, "We should start."

"Yeah," Castle said, breathing a little hard. He smiled when she cupped his face in her hands and then grew serious saying, "This is what you want to do?"

"It is," Beckett replied, glancing back over her shoulder as his hands were running down her back. She sighed as he started to gently rub her skin and said, "Would it be alright if we did this separate?"

"It would," Castle said immediately. "Mind if I take care of you?"

Shaking her head, Beckett wasn't surprised when he drew her to him and they kissed again. That time though, they were more sensuous than rough, but they ended up taking some time as the first kiss went into several. Pressing her forehead against his she murmured, "This doesn't need to take long."

"No," Castle replied, eager at that direction. He then waited for her to sit straight on him and once she was set he placed his left hand on the small of her back before reaching with his right. He cupped her mound gently and then said, "Good?"

"I guess," Beckett said hesitantly. When he looked at her she said, "You're just resting your hand on me."

"Right," Castle said before he moved his fingers. He felt for her clit, finding it but not rubbing it yet. Instead he touched her, feeling her sex before he said, "Would it surprise you that it wasn't just in our past life that I read a book on bodies?"

"No," Beckett said in amusement. "So did I. But are you going to move?"

"I thought I already did," Castle told her. He wasn't surprised at the flash of anger in her eyes and he was quick to move to start kissing her.

Beckett couldn't help still feeling annoyed, but she became involved in what his lips were doing to her. When they parted she started to speak, but he stopped her by brushing his lips to hers and she waited, tense, to see what he would say.

"Do you think I can suggest a change to what you had in mind?" Castle murmured against her lips.

"Of course," Beckett said. "As long as it won't take time to get to it."

Hearing the strain in his wife's voice, Castle kissed her deeply while he touched her and carefully moved her so his length was between her legs. When she started to move the kiss ended as they were both groaning in pleasure and he looked down at her to make sure she was being stimulated too.

"Rick," Beckett said, pulling him to her so they could kiss again. They didn't last for long as his erection slipped loose from her and she reached down for him. "You're going to kill me," she said as she moved him until was nestled against her folds again.

"Is this alright still?" Castle asked her, grunting since she was moving again.

Beckett's response to that was to kiss him again and she moaned into his mouth as he cupped her ass firmly, squeezing it before they parted in a gasp of air. "I…" she started to say before it dissolved into a moan as he was running his nails over her back and they were kissing again. She raked her fingers through his hair before he was grabbing her and flipping her around onto her back to her cry of surprise. "What-" she started to say.

Crushing his lips to his wife's, Castle took that as far as he could and then pulled away slowly when they both needed to breathe. He smiled at her and nuzzling her nose with his said, "I couldn't stop myself."

"No, you shouldn't," Beckett said. When she realized what she'd said, she was about to speak when he kissed her yet again. Knowing with that he understood what she'd meant she responded until he moved away, and she watched him slide down her body to her immense anticipation.

Though he knew they were changing plans for a second time, Castle couldn't help himself since he'd suddenly craved pleasuring her as he began to do. Touching and flicking his tongue out wherever he could around her clit, feeling her moving and hearing her moaning heavily in response. "Kate… I can't stop myself… _Is breá liom do blas_ ," he told her, slipping into Irish before he pushed himself down fully to her entrance.

Crying out at the way her husband started to literally lap at her folds, Beckett tried to tamp down the flare of arousal her husband's huskily muttered phrase that he loved her taste caused. It was a fight and she nearly couldn't take in what he was doing for her but was lucky to soon just feel it. That was nearly a mistake since he started to rub at her clit and she moaned almost weakly when he pulled away and gently blew on her skin. When he leaned over and flicked his tongue gently against her sex she whispered his name before she was startled to feel him moving against her.

"Just one," Castle whispered to his wife before their lips met. Their tongues tangling together, he reached to her mound and cupped his hand over it again, letting the heel of his hand rub her clit as he was being careful not to stimulate it too much. When they parted he breathed to her, "It's your choice love."

"Get down there lover," Beckett said, trying to be teasing but failing at how much she was enjoying his touch. She wasn't surprised when he kissed her hard and once he pulled back she watched him race down to lay between her legs again. She cried out his name as his tongue was quick to plunge into her and she arched her back at the explosion of pleasure that ran through her instantly. Her legs went over his shoulders and she wasn't surprised when he held them in place since she couldn't stop moving with every deliberate thrust of his tongue.

Doing his best to speed up as fast as he could, Castle couldn't help hoping she would reach her pleasure soon as his own arousal was literally an ache that had by then spread through his body. He did his best to focus on her and realized he was getting his wish as he felt her starting to almost thrash back and forth in her movements. He groaned and then prepared himself as she tensed up below him and shortly after started to call out his name, her voice laced with ecstasy. He was so attentive it was a shock when he realized she had stopped climaxing and he pulled away so he could gently lick at her a little more. He couldn't help pressing a kiss to her sex before he moved to lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly and saying, "Good?"

Beckett laughed softly and then said, "Partially." She wasn't surprised, when she moved, that her husband looked confused but she didn't stop to explain before she was making him get on his back before she slid her lips straight down his chest until she was at his erection. With it up on his stomach, she couldn't help kissing at his erection there, flicking her tongue out as well. She smiled when he groaned and swore a few times before she cupped him and sat up on her knees in between his legs. "What do you think?" she asked. "What we were doing before or-"

Reaching up and covering his wife's mouth with just a few fingertips Castle said desperately, "Your mouth just… I hope that's what you want."

"It is," Beckett said, still smiling. She leaned over and kissed him, not surprised when he held onto her and was responding eagerly. When they managed to stop she moved back down him and then grasped his member carefully in her hands before pressing a kiss to the very tip, watching him closely to see his reaction.

Castle nearly choked out his wife's name at the burst of warmth that shot all through his body and he was just able to recover when he was thrown back into that same warmth as her mouth descended on him when she took him into her mouth. He couldn't help reaching down for her, lacing his fingers through her hair loosely so he wouldn't pull at it. He did his best to watch her; since he was propped up on the pillows; and was surprised he wasn't outright drooling at the sight she made moving rapidly up and down on him.

Feeling her husband's hands near her, Beckett looked up and saw he was watching her though it was being interrupted by the way he was blinking so fast. She knew he'd had to delay in his pleasure so she started to add more to what she was doing to him. When she reached up with her right hand to grasp him gently she wasn't taken aback in the slightest when he immediately began to react. She prepared herself and when shortly after he began to orgasm she was ready for it, working over him the best she could while she listened to him saying her name repeatedly until she felt him slumping beneath her. Once she had finished with him she slid back on his length very slowly until she pulled back off him with as audible a sound as she could make. "Too much?" she asked him.

"No," Castle said simply as he was more concerned with pulling her up into his arms. He kissed her deeply but didn't linger for long telling her, "If you'd have literally popped getting your mouth off that would have been." He laughed when she rolled her eyes and then nuzzled her neck telling her, "That was nice though."

"Hmm, it was," Beckett said. She cupped her husband's cheek before she kissed him gently until they slowly parted. " _Is breá liom an blas duitse freisin_ ," she said against his cheek which meant she loved the taste of him too. When he kissed her harder then she would have smiled had she not been involved with him. Stopping the kiss first, she pulled away and asked, "Can we do that again in Adare?"

"We should be able to do it again tomorrow night," Castle told her.

"Pervert," Beckett said wryly.

"Not after what we both just did," Castle said teasingly. He smiled when she pinched his other side and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips where he kissed the back a few times. "But we can do whatever you want in our room… in Adare," he said, adding the last when he realized he needed to specify which room he was talking about.

"I know," Beckett replied, smiling as she'd been watching him. She gently pulled her hand from his grip and then sat up to reach for the bedsheet to cover them. When she heard her husband's heavy sigh she smiled at him and said, "You didn't want to stop?"

"No, and neither did you," Castle said quickly though he set the sheet on him before he took her back in his arms again. He shared a tender kiss with her before he gently rubbed at her arm and he said, "I love you Kate," his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied, smiling at him as she gently caressed his cheek. They kissed again and when they'd stopped she told her husband, "I want to spend time here with the girls, but I can't wait to get to our room."

"Neither can I," Castle replied. "Both books?"

"Alright," Beckett said, smiling as she could easily hear the eagerness in her husband's voice. She then said, "But we'll swim, be clothed…"

Laughing Castle said, "We will, I'm not going to promise it's going to be most of the day we are. But there will be points."

"Don't get me wrong," Beckett said quickly. "I wasn't asking for us to be most of the day. I'd rather spend more time out of clothes."

"Good," Castle said, his body tense as he was imagining them in the hotel suite already.

"Hey, I'm here love," Beckett told her husband, patting his face playfully. She cried out when he suddenly flipped her onto her back but recovered quickly, wrapping her arms around his neck before they proceeded to kiss.

When they eventually stopped Castle told her, "I adore you Kate."

"Rick…" Beckett whispered to him before they were kissing again.

Though they were tired after returning home, Castle and Beckett couldn't stop themselves from touching one another again. Their anticipation for their anniversary took them over completely and they let it do so. They pleasured each other, blissfully, making sure the other could feel their desperate desire as they did everything they could until it was the seventeenth and they could finally make their way to Adare.


	37. Loving In Your Eyes

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: It was great getting the feedback for the last chapter, so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! Guest (I was happy to see you thought the chapter was so good. And of course, I'm pleased you're loving this story. You're welcome for the chapter!),

TORONTOSUN (It was nice seeing that you like Skye's family very much since I was hoping readers would enjoy that bit with them. And of course, happy you thought it was great writing all around!),

Guest (I was happy to see that you thought the chapter was so good. And interesting there's a Castle Pornado, lol, somehow it doesn't really surprise me. But it was nice that you think I should be participating in that since you said I write hot love scenes for Castle and Beckett. You're welcome for the chapter!) and

Mb (It was really nice to see you thought the chapter was a very sweet update. And I'm very pleased that you love seeing Iris and Ivy in their new home along with the joy at their loving family with their moms, sisters and grandad that love them as you put it. I had to laugh when you said you missed the 'puppies' too, but I'm glad you liked when Eliza squealed that in her joy in the chapter. I wasn't surprised that you thought it was good the dogs are going with them to LA, since yeah they could be there for some time. And I'm happy you love seeing Alexis and Louis together and being with the family as well. Of course, great you thought the chapter was a sweet transition one. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! Nice to read you thought the second half was a fantastic update. And great you loved the beginning with them at the beach. Not surprised you mentioned that the girls would love making sandcastles and cities like their mom and dad. I was happy that you enjoyed Alexis and Louis being shown as adults. Actually, what you said about them reminding you about a young Castle and Beckett if they'd met younger and her mother hadn't been killed makes sense since I've imagined AU stories with that before, lol, it probably extended to Alexis and Louis. I wasn't surprised that you think Julia's nightmare might be nerves about the show too, lol, that would happen. And I wasn't surprised either that you're wondering about Tyson if he might return since you're right he doesn't leave Castle and Beckett in peace. Really glad you enjoyed the hotness of Castle and Beckett and said they were special, loving and hot. Definitely Caskett always. And you're very welcome for the second half of the chapter too!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, loving reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Karma Chameleon_ by the band Culture Club and Phil Pickett, from the band's album _Colour by Numbers_.

Loving In Your Eyes

The thud of their horse's hooves was loud between Castle and Beckett as they rode down the path they'd taken from the stables. They soon found themselves leaving the trees and coming into the clearing that they'd been told about from the workers. After they'd slowed their houses down, they found the opening to the field that the stables owned, and they headed inside.

"Around?" Castle asked his wife.

"Of course," Beckett said. "But not too many times."

"Sure," Castle replied before they urged their horses to gallop, going around the edge of the field in circles. They went a few times before he could see her slowing down and he hurried to do the same. Once they were setting their horses at a walk, he said to her with a smile, "That was nice."

"Are you worried I might complain about the time we rode?" Beckett asked him, smiling herself.

"Slightly, but of course they can't all have the land our stables do," Castle said. "You'll let me know when we can stop right?"

"Here," Beckett told him, smiling at him. She brought her horse to a stop and said, "Good?"

"There's shade," Castle commented.

Beckett laughed and then said, "That's why I chose it," before she was dismounting into his arms as he'd gone straight to her after getting off his horse. She let him tie their horses while she got the blanket for their picnic ready and he grabbed their bag that held their breakfast. It was the seventeenth of August and their sixth anniversary they were celebrating in Adare and they had spent their morning riding to head out for a quick breakfast. She couldn't help recalling how they had kissed each other once they'd gotten dressed and how they'd had to stop each other from doing anything more than that.

"What is it?" Castle asked, watching his wife as he was sitting down next to her to find her staring ahead of herself.

"I'm just remembering this morning," Beckett replied, taking a carafe of juice out from the bag. She pulled out the bread next and some cheese before saying, "Did you ask for these?" as she pulled out some blueberries last.

"They're fresh from this area," Castle said, nodding his head.

Shaking her head, Beckett reached over to her husband and cupped his cheek before they started to eat. They were quiet at first before she said, "What do you think?"

"It's great," Castle said with a smile, looking around them. "Did you want to do this again today?" he asked, turning to her.

"We don't need to," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when he looked at her in surprise and said, "Once was nice but I'd rather do something else before we need to head back home."

"I agree," Castle said. He smiled when his wife rolled her eyes, while smiling herself, and he turned back to the food with her until they were splitting the berries. They ate those in silence for a bit before she was squeezing his arm and he glanced at her, seeing the slight smile on her face before she spoke.

"I know you want to ask," Beckett commented.

"Just one try?" Castle asked.

"Twelve-year-old," Beckett muttered under her breath though she spoke jokingly. She took one of the last berries, wondering if she could comment on how he looked with his mouth open, but soon threw it as she knew he'd been tempted to ask her.

"Ow," Castle said laughingly when the blueberry hit his forehead. "I guess I was asking for that. Luckily you're a good shot or that might have been my eye." He noticed they had finished everything, and he asked, "Ready?"

"Yeah," Beckett said. "But we'll walk alright?"

"The entire way?" Castle asked in surprise as he was shaking out the blanket they'd been sitting on.

"No, but for now…" Beckett said simply. She watched him attach the bag with everything to his saddle and waited for him to untie the horses. When he walked over to her, she was quick to act, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him before he could do so to her. But he was quick to recover, and they were kissing one another passionately, his hands roaming over her back before she pulled away.

"We… we should go," Castle said before his wife could. When she nodded, he leaned over and brushed her lips before confessing, "I wanted to do that after we ate the blueberries."

Letting go of him and making sure he did the same with her Beckett said, "We just did."

"True," Castle replied as he recalled having tasted the berries slightly during their kiss. He then distracted himself from that pleasing thought to hold her horse as she got into the saddle. He hurried to get onto his own and once they were ready, they were setting off out of the field to get back to the path so they could return to the stables.

They were silent for a while until Beckett looked over at her husband and she could see the expression on his face. "What is it?" she asked.

"I wanted to stay in the field longer," Castle said guiltily. "Not race back to the room."

"We're not," Beckett said gently. "And I wanted to go back."

Breathing out Castle said, "We're still going to the pool, right?"

"After lunch," Beckett told him firmly. "This was what I wanted to do Rick, don't worry," she then said as she held her hand out to him. When he took it, she squeezed it and told him, "And you I'm hoping."

"You think I'd feel that guilty?" Castle asked wryly though he knew she was joking. He squeezed her hand before they let go of each other and without another word started to gallop the rest of the way.

When they had reached the stables, they dismounted and though Beckett wanted to take care of her horse she had to let the stable hand grab the reins. Watching the workers take their horses she turned to her husband and said, "Let's go."

Nodding his head, Castle took her hand again as they walked to their rental car they'd gotten in Cork the day before. He thought of something and said, "We're going out tomorrow, I forgot."

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly at his amazed tone and said, "Yes, I want to get the girls gifts."

"Still getting used to that?" Castle asked in slight amusement as they were standing next to the car, not surprised she was giving him a look before she spoke.

"It just happened three days ago Rick," Beckett said. She then smiled and got into the car before she waited for her husband to get in the driver's seat. "AJ came through in a big way."

"I know," Castle said, as everything to officially change their daughters' last names and for Beckett to adopt Alexis had been finalized on the fourteenth. He looked at his wife briefly, smiling as he recalled that evening after their lawyer had left.

* * *

 _"Come on you two," Louis said. "I feel like playing fetch with your dogs."_

 _Watching the young man leave with everyone else except Alexis and Castle, Beckett turned to her oldest daughter and then said, "That's going to take getting used to."_

 _"What?" Alexis asked with a smile as her stepmother was doing so._

 _"I just thought of you as my oldest daughter," Beckett replied. "But give me a little time."_

 _"You know Julia's still-" Alexis said slowly._

 _"Yes, but in the scheme of things you are the oldest," Beckett interrupted, smiling at her._

 _"I guess I should stop thinking of you as my stepmother," Alexis said thoughtfully._

 _"You don't need to if you'd-" Beckett started to say._

 _"You're my mother now," Alexis said. She then breathed out and said, "I'll think of you as that since… it's what I wanted… Ma."_

 _Beckett was smiling again, and she stepped up to her daughter, wrapping her arms around Alexis and embracing her tightly a few seconds before she was hugging her back. "Any awkwardness?" she asked._

 _"Sounded great to me," Castle couldn't help saying as he needed to get a slight distraction from the sudden rush of love he felt for his wife and their daughter. He laughed when the two let go of each other and turned to him and he wasn't surprised when Alexis spoke first._

 _"At least it does," the young woman said, glancing at her mother._

 _"Oh, I know," Beckett said, smiling as Castle looked a little confused. She went to him and kissed his cheek before telling him, "Are you happy?"_

 _"Extremely but what matters more is if our daughter is," he said, hugging her to him._

 _Turning to her head Beckett said, "That's true."_

 _"I am," Alexis said, shaking her head in mock annoyance at the two before she hugged them together. She was a little startled at how it felt when they embraced her at the same time but smiled before they let go of each other and then went together to the backyard._

 _Letting their daughter go down to join her sisters, Beckett held Castle back when he was about to go down the stairs and she murmured to him, "I love you Rick."_

 _"I love you too Kate," Castle said, hugging her to him again._

 _They stood there for a bit, watching their family until Beckett shared a look with her husband and they smiled at each other before they headed down the stairs together and joined their daughters with the dogs._

* * *

"Alright?" Castle asked his wife as he watched her get out of the car.

"I am," Beckett said with a smile. "Just… thinking."

Nodding Castle squeezed her hand at the doorman's greeting and they replied in turn before they walked into the hotel. He nodded to the concierge that had greeted them and breathed out slightly when they were in the elevator. When his wife squeezed his arm, he looked at her and said, "Should I have said something?"

"No," Beckett said slightly laughingly. "I need to take a shower."

"I guess I do too," Castle said, pretending to think that over for a moment. He then smiled and said, "I had a feeling you know."

Since the car had stopped Beckett stepped out and when he had as well told her husband, "Oh I did, I just felt like making an announcement."

"Great," Castle said simply, taking her hand before they walked together down the hall to their suite. When they were inside the room, he locked the door before he followed her over to the bathroom asking, "This door?"

"Close it," Beckett replied, sitting down on the bench against the wall that was next to the doorway. She looked up at him as he stood in front of her and said, "A shower."

"I know," Castle said simply.

"Pervert," Beckett told him as she unzipped her left riding boot. Getting that one off and then the right she stood, unbuttoning her polo shirt. "And with that I don't want anything more than touching here; light touching."

"I'd like the same thing," Castle said. He smiled when his wife looked at him slightly doubtfully and told her, "Honestly; I'd like to go out to the bed."

"Good," Beckett said. "Come on," she told him when he was about to speak. She went back to undressing, taking off her top first and her khakis before she then got her bra and panties off as her husband was trying to watch her and get his clothes off. She traced his jaw once she finished, slipping into the shower before he was following her only a moment later.

"I need this at least," Castle breathed out to his wife after they'd stopped kissing.

"Of course, but do you want to take that long?" Beckett asked him.

"Not really," Castle said rapidly before his mouth was descending on hers again. They kissed for a while before he stopped himself and said, "Did you want to wash your hair?"

Beckett smiled, hearing the way he was forcing himself to speak, and she told him once she had recovered enough herself, "I would, I smell like a horse."

"Me too," Castle replied, nodding. "Let's get started." He kissed her and proceeded to run his hands along her back before they stopped, and he explained, "I wanted to start rinsing you off."

"Pervert," Beckett said, letting him go so she could stand fully underneath the water.

Though he wanted to kiss her more, Castle decided there would be time for that the rest of the day and he joined her underneath the water so they could clean each other. He was pleased at how much they needed to clean one another since it meant they could at least touch their bodies until he turned off the water. He was able to grab her towel and he quickly dried off her body saying, "Wait for me?"

"I will outside," Beckett replied with a smile before she left the room to him.

"Vixen," Castle called out to her as she was taking off her towel she'd wrapped around her when he'd finished. He turned his attention to himself and dried off as fast as he could before he was rushing out into the bedroom.

"Where's your towel?" Beckett asked with a smile as her husband had come to the bed completely naked.

"I lost it," Castle said simply before he climbed onto the mattress and took her lips with his. They were rough and passionate, making him shudder as the smack of their lips was incredibly noisy in the quiet of the room. When they stopped he breathed, "Six years Kate… I love you."

"Hmm, I love you too," Beckett said, sighing as her husband kissed her neck. "Take me Rick."

Kissing her, Castle gripped her right hip, feeling her moving and realizing soon after that her legs were parting for him. He let her reach for his erection, letting her guide him though he knew she was using her first two fingers as well to feel for her sex. He was breathing hard already at how erotic the thought of that was and when he could finally slip inside of her he did so slowly, making them both groan together at the sensation of their skin meeting. When he stopped, he felt her hands holding tightly onto his shoulders and he murmured her name as her legs wrapped around his waist.

When her husband began to thrust, Beckett let out a soft sound of joy that expressed her pleasure though he was going very slowly. She couldn't help thinking; as she always did when they made love and for a moment; of their very first time together and how the sensation and the thrill of their intimacy hadn't changed. She wrapped her legs a little tighter about him when their lips met, and she responded to him as passionately as she could before he broke apart. "Oh… Rick… we'll… I…" she tried to say as he kissed around her jaw and then went to her neck.

"I want this, I fucking need this love," Castle said huskily as he moved so his lips were against hers. He wasn't sure how it came to mind but suddenly he began rolling his hips on her, grunting while his wife cried out in pleasure. He was still going slowly and there was no surprise when he could feel how wet she was, and he had to close his eyes as they started to roll back in his head.

Running her hand down along their legs where they were pressed tightly together, Beckett moaned into Castle's mouth as he'd come down to her lips to kiss her. When they parted to breathe after the second one, she raked her nails over his scalp before she reached for his shoulders. She gasped and dug her nails slightly into his back when she felt him thrusting up instead of inside her. "Don't," she whispered.

"No?" Castle asked. When she shook her head, he nodded and then began to thrust slowly normally again she ran her hands over his hair tenderly, kissing him back as he was covering her mouth with his lips. He wasn't surprised when her tongue was inside his mouth soon after they started, and he was quick to duel with her. They were rolling around together shortly after and he couldn't help grunting repeatedly as the taste of her was exploding in his mouth. He managed to gently get her back inside her mouth, but they didn't remain there long as they went back to his.

"Rick," Beckett gasped as she stopped the kiss when he changed his angle slightly and he was brushing against her clit. "Please… oh… touch me," she begged him. She bit at her lower lip and faltered in her own thrusts for a moment when he ran his hand down her side, staying away from her breast. She couldn't help feeling a little frustrated at him having to do that, but her skin was literally tingling at his touch, so she consoled herself with that. She brought him back to her lips while his hand was running down her thigh and they kissed roughly again while their bodies were struggling to move slowly still.

"Kate if I-" Castle started to say before she was covering his mouth with her hand.

"Don't worry, I know… you can't help it," Beckett moaned as he was moving even slower than before. She could feel him more deliberately and said, "But try."

"Yeah," Castle breathed out, that reminding him why they liked to start their anniversaries by taking things slowly. He was able to get back to his slower pace as she was stroking his back at the same rhythm and he kissed her, going very gently until they parted as they were breathing roughly in pleasure. "Kate… are you…" he said after what felt like a few minutes though was only half of one.

"I am… oh… we waited… just make me come!" Beckett said, exclaiming at the end as he thrust into her clit. With him doing that a few more times she cried out and started to climax, calling his name repeatedly before she could feel him joining her.

Doing his best not to move too rapidly as his pleasure was a little rough, Castle called to his wife and said her name in a kind of chant until he came to a stop quickly. "Love," he said simply before she was reaching up to him and they kissed again. That time they made it sensuous together and when they stopped, he carefully pulled away from her and lay next to her, gathering her in his arms.

Pressing her cheek to his shoulder, Beckett said with a smile, "Should we have done that in the shower?"

"It was perfect how it was," Castle said, kissing the top of her head after he'd spoken. He then smiled and said, "But yeah, I can see there's a little problem with celibacy. Why do we keep doing that to ourselves?"

"Masochists?" Beckett asked. She wasn't surprised when he laughed, and she continued saying, "Maybe just with each other."

"Weak masochists," Castle replied, and he heard his wife laughing a bit before he pulled her closer to him. "What would you like to do now love?"

Pushing herself up, Beckett looked around the room for a moment before she said, "Why don't we get something to drink?"

"I'll get it," Castle said, sitting up hurriedly and kissing her shoulder in passing.

"You know I get aroused watching you walk around too," Beckett told him teasingly. When he smirked at her over his shoulder she said, "Pervert," as she lay back against her pillows. "Rick?" she said finally when he walked back to her. Seeing he was watching her she asked, "Did you ever expect this?"

Shaking his head Castle gave her the glass he was holding before he said as he climbed on, "I had no reason to until now. But let's get you hydrated." He smiled when his wife playfully narrowed her eyes at him until she finished sipping the water and he took the glass, drinking himself before moved to set it down on the nightstand. He paused when he felt her drape over his back, her lips peppering his shoulders with rapid kisses before she spoke.

"I want to be fucked now Rick," Beckett murmured against his skin, resting her lips against the junction of his neck and shoulder. She couldn't help smiling as she could feel him tensing up and she added, "I want us to fuck."

Castle turned around quickly and then kissed his wife passionately, holding her tightly against his chest as he cupped the back of her head with his right hand. When they parted, he said, "So do I." They brushed their lips together for a bit before they pulled away and he said at the same time as her, "The desk." When she smiled, he brushed his lips to hers and said, "I'm so glad it's still here."

Nodding, since the hotel had undergone a renovation in the last year and that had included their entire suite though it was still predominantly blue in its color palette, Beckett said, "I suppose people need it." She let her husband pull her to him and they were kissing again, gently but deeply, before they were slowly parting. She smiled and said, "You need to get a towel."

"I don't want to leave," Castle commented though he let go of her as he spoke. He brushed his lips to hers and then got off the bed and went into the bathroom as fast as he could. He was just grabbing one of the spare towels when he heard his wife calling out to him. "What?" he asked, going to the doorway and spotting her immediately at the windows next to the table. "Hey, what if someone sees you?" he asked, jogging the few steps to her.

"Oh good," Beckett said simply, taking the towel from him. Before he could ask her what she meant she said, "Get everything off."

Castle exhaled hard and then went to the desk, getting the lamp and phone off to set them down on the floor. He watched her set the towel on top once he was done and he reached for her ass, cupping it with both his hands as he nearly growled in her ear, "Are you trying to make me jealous?"

"No, those are- Rick!" Beckett cried out in pleasure when he slapped her gently. She leaned her hands on the desk and said, "They're small windows and the sun is going to block me you know." She cried out a second time when he slapped her again and bit her lower lip, looking back at him over her shoulder as he began to speak.

"You were trying to make me jealous," Castle told her. He made her turn around and when he saw the way she was smiling at him he crushed his lips to hers, pulling her against him again. That time he could feel a lot more and feeling the way his wife moaned into his mouth he knew she could feel his arousal. When they managed to stop, he asked her, "How?"

Brushing her lips against her husband's, Beckett let go of him and turned back around to the desk, placing her hands on it. She hissed in surprise as her husband was slapping her ass again and she said, "That's enough."

"I was waiting for that," Castle said, going to her as quickly as he could and then grasping his arousal. He moved a little while she looked back at him, and they were both groaning in pleasure at their skin touching since he brushed against her. "Should I apologize?" he asked since he could see he'd gotten her a bit wet with the few times his length rubbed against her skin.

"I'll be doing the same to you when I'm… on top," Beckett said, gasping as he gave a firm thrust once he'd slipped the tip inside of her and they were coupled tightly. "But later," she breathed out as he was moving behind her a little. She knew he was teasing her, but she withheld saying anything about that because she couldn't really, and he was soon after placing his hands directly next to hers on the edge of the desk. She tangled her pinkie fingers with his index fingers and told him, "Fuck me lover," her voice thick with her arousal. And she was soon crying out his name when he began to thrust and did so hard, making her nails dig into the towel before she tilted her head back against his shoulder as she whispered his name.

Though their lips couldn't meet exactly Castle kissed what he could, going down the side of her neck before he was breathing against her shoulder as the pace he was going at was taking more of his attention. He didn't want to break the slight hold they had of each other's fingers, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching up and holding onto her stomach to feel her moving. He kissed both her shoulders and then slid his hand down, lightly rubbing at her clit before she was calling to him to stop. "What's wr-" he started to say in concern as he pulled away from her carefully.

"No, I didn't want you to do that," Beckett said. "I'm ready to move."

"Or turn," Castle couldn't help saying as she was doing that. When she just looked at him, he said, "Not even a glare…"  
"Do you want me to get on here and take care of myself?" Beckett asked him simply. When he immediately grabbed her hips, she smirked at him before she hopped up onto the desk while he helped her when she needed it. Parting her legs as soon as she felt comfortable she said, "Do you want me to?"

"No," Castle said roughly as she was fingering her own folds. He grabbed her wrist gently and took her hand within his, making her curl it around his erection before he moved as she gently pulled him. Once he was fully inside of her again he didn't let much time pass before he was thrusting again and kissing her at the same time. Since he could he was running his hands around her back and running his fingers through her hair before they needed to catch their breath and he moved to bury his face into her neck as her nails began to scrape along his scalp and shoulders at the same time.

"Oh… Rick… harder," Beckett gasped out as she wrapped her legs around her husband. It let her move with him and they were moving the desk as well though it was hard to hear it hitting the wall behind her since she was crying out to him every time their hips slammed together. Her sex where they were joined felt as if it was literally on fire and it wasn't ceasing as the friction between them was constant from her husband. She held onto him a little tighter before she murmured, "Slow down."

Castle nearly froze at her request and he pulled back so he could look at her, seeing she was serious. He took the time to kiss her, doing so gently and sensuously, before he thrust slowly three times, picking up his speed for the next five. He wasn't sure how he settled on that rhythm but didn't really think about that for long as Beckett was gasping to him that she loved him. He kissed her again and while he was doing that he moved his hands down to her ass, grasping it firmly and losing the varying pace he'd had. When he heard no protest from his wife he continued, their tongues tangling around one another roughly before they were gasping for air.

"You need… need to make me come…" Beckett moaned as her husband had her lean back on his hands that were behind her. The difference in angle affected her swiftly and she was beating the heels of her feet against his ass, not sure if that was a distraction or a necessity. But when her orgasm suddenly snapped through her body she knew it was the latter and she called her husband's name, needing more contact with him than she already had as she sat up fully. She was holding onto him tightly as her entire body undulated, the ecstasy almost too much to take. When her husband straightened and froze for an instant she was soon after outright screaming his name once as he pushed her to a second orgasm the instant she could feel his. She was clinging to her husband out of outright desperation, not really wanting to pass out. But just as she thought she would end up doing that, her body was stopping abruptly, and she would have fallen back if her husband wasn't holding her still. She gasped in pleasure since he was still thrusting and at the last two she ended up moaning as they were arousing her hypersensitive sex already. But he stopped, and she quickly relaxed though she was caressing the back of his head and then kissed the top of it while he was pressing his face to her neck. "Rick," she said gently when she felt a little stronger.

Though he felt it took too much effort, Castle still moved, and he then withdrew from her slowly before they gasped once he was fully out of her. "I wonder why that was so…" he started to say, helping her down though he didn't need to. "Are we doing this again?" he asked as he studied the towel.

Shaking her head, Beckett was about to tell him that they should try to at least start with different positions when he was scooping her up into his arms. "It's not that far to the bed," she said with a laugh.

"Still, that was a lot," Castle replied.

"For you!" Beckett said with a smile. She then kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly saying, "So you should rest."

"I know, I should," Castle said, nodding. He set her down on the side of the bed; knowing she wanted that; and he went back to the desk so he could throw the towel into the bathroom. When he got to the bed, he saw Beckett was sitting up on the pillows in the middle of the bed and he said, "I've been waiting to do that."

"Because we did it before?" Beckett asked him, reaching up to him as he moved to lay on her though he was able to keep his weight off her. When he nodded seriously, she laughed softly and said, "I'm not surprised." She paused as he looked at her expectantly and added, "I've been too." As they kissed she caressed his hair until he was pulling away and kissing at her neck again. She quickly stopped him and said, "I should confess something to you."

"You were hoping someone would see you?" Castle asked with a smile.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "I wanted to see how you'd react to that… and just look outside." When he playfully bit at her collarbone she was laughing softly before she told him, "I was going to tell you to run out of the bathroom when you were getting the towel." She smiled when her husband froze and looked at her with wide eyes before she told him, "Really, it's interesting to see you running."

"Does it move that much?" Castle asked, trying to look down at himself. He wasn't surprised when she pushed up on his chin and he said, "I've never looked at myself doing that."

"No exercising naked?" Beckett said jokingly.

"No," Castle said firmly. "I could do that for you right now if you wanted me to."

Shaking her head, Beckett leaned down and brushed her lips against his before saying, "I'd prefer you to stay here. But there was something I wanted to tell you before you picked me up-"

"Anything," Castle interrupted her.

Beckett smiled and then said as she rubbed his lips with her fingertips, "That we try a different position at the start; at the very least." She couldn't help laughing softly as he was quick to get off her and the bed and rush to the armoire to the right of the bed in the opposite corner. She sat up as he ran over to her and she said, "It does move, more against you," a little surprised when he nearly skidded to a stop next to the bed.

"What?" Castle asked in surprise. He saw his wife wasn't really paying attention to him and he said, his voice becoming husky in arousal, "You look like you're going to eat me."

Taking that as her permission, Beckett took the book from him and threw it onto the chest at the end of the bed before she grabbed him by the hand. She wasn't surprised when he went after her willingly and she made him lay on the bed though his feet were almost on the pillows. "This bed is a little short," she said in amusement as they were both looking down at the other end.

"My feet aren't hanging off the end," Castle said before he froze. "Kate," he literally wheezed out as she was fondling him.

"Rick…" Beckett started to say. She pulled on his hand and then said, "I want you to fuck me."

"Always love," Castle said before they were moving so she was laying on her pillow again. He entered her, and they were moving together hard, her arms and legs wrapping around him tightly so they could feel that same pleasure yet again.

* * *

"Was that lunch?" Beckett asked, stepping out of the shower.

Looking over at her, Castle's eyes widened and he then said, "I thought-"

"For when we fucked," Beckett interrupted him, smiling when he literally gulped. She leaned over and kissed him, as she'd walked over to him next to the table, and said, "I decided at the last minute to bring this for moments like this."

"Naked dining?" Castle asked, though he was wearing his pajamas himself.

"Pervert," Beckett said, sharing a kiss with him. When they parted, she sat down on the chair he held out for her and she said with a smile, "But I don't really want to bother with getting dressed… yet."

"Neither did I," Castle replied. He then poured out the tea he'd ordered for them and said, "You realize we haven't used the book though."

"We haven't needed to," Beckett said simply, setting one of the finger sandwiches onto his plate. "But we should after we come back from the pool. She glanced at her husband and smiled when he set down the teapot a little hard saying, "Forgot?"

"I did," Castle said with a sigh. "But don't get me wrong," he said quickly as he realized how that sounded. "I do want to get the chance to swim again."

"I hoped you would," Beckett replied.

"Can we take another shower after?" Castle asked her after they'd taken a bite of the cucumber sandwiches they'd picked up first.

Beckett nodded and when she had sipped some of her tea told him, "I think we should."

"You love the shower, don't you?" Castle asked. When she nodded he said, "Me too, we should see if we can fix ours and put a rainfall shower."

"Wouldn't that take time?" Beckett asked.

"We'd get some consultations, see what needs to be done," Castle replied. "But we'd have to wait until… I guess next year."

"I'd prefer to do that," Beckett said, nodding. "Scone?"

"Yes," Castle said quickly. "Look," he told her as he took the ramekin with preserves. "Blueberries."

"I saw," Beckett said with a smile. "They must be in season. Put those on first."

"I remember," Castle said in mock self-defense. Biting into his scone once he had the clotted cream on it he said, "I have to take it easy."

"We're not having this tomorrow," Beckett said, smiling again. "And we're racing down in the pool."

" _Agus gan stopadh anseo_ ," Castle said in Irish though he expected her to call him a pervert since he'd said the phrase and not stopping here. He was startled when she moved to sit on his lap and he was quick to hold her though he started to drop his half-eaten scone.

"Careful," Beckett told him holding it up to him so he could take a bite. Once he'd done so she said, " _Níl mé ag iarraidh stop a chur air_ ," which meant that she didn't want to stop either.

Castle brought his wife down to him and they started to kiss, feeling her trembling at first before they were both distracted. When they stopped, he leaned over so he could grab her plate and bring it next to his. He fed her the last bite of her cucumber sandwich inquiring, "Were you okay?"

"I could taste the cream and blueberries on you," Beckett said. She patted her husband's back as he coughed into his teacup and said, "Clotted cream; I'll get that later in the shower. Don't spill," adding the last when he set down his cup a little hard. She kissed at his temple saying, "Will it surprise you that I want you to return the favor."

"No, I'm glad to do it," Castle said. "But we should eat."

"We will," Beckett said, getting the shrimp sandwich.

"Like the two dogs," Castle said eagerly as there was only one of those.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Spaghetti Rick. And don't order that tonight."

"They don't have it on the menu," Castle said simply.

"Are we still eating at the Oak Room?" Beckett asked. When he nodded, she brushed her lips to his and said, "Good."

"You're sure you don't want to go tonight?" Castle asked her with a slight frown.

"I'm very sure," Beckett said, getting her scone. "We're leaving the room enough as it is." She smiled inwardly as she took a bite, her husband's shudder of pleasure not hard to notice. She then kissed his cheek and they turned their attention to the other sandwiches before they split up the different desserts. "Okay," she said, getting off him as she'd stayed on his lap while they'd eaten and fed each other. "I'll change in there-"

"You don't trust either of us?" Castle asked her.

Beckett couldn't help laughing at his tone and she said, "I guess we should try." When he raised and lowered his eyebrows a few times she kissed him, making herself pull away before they could get too involved with that. She went to the armoire and grabbed her bikini and sundress, watching him grab his trunks and clothes next to her. As they walked back to the bed she smiled and turned to him when he had pulled her up against him and making a request she'd been waiting for.

"Can I watch you?" Castle said.

"I get the feeling you would anyway," Beckett said. "Yes, you can," she added with a slight laugh as he was just watching her. They kissed, and she was the one to keep it short before she told him, "But stay on your side of the bed."

"Oh, come on-" Castle started to say as she was walking around it.

"Change Rick," Beckett said with a smile. "I know you want to touch but it'll be better for your trunks if you don't."

"They can handle it," Castle said though he knew she was right. He took off his pajama top but stopped there, watching his wife removing her nightgown before she slipped on her bikini bottoms and then top. Sighing when she looked at him pointedly when she was picking up her sundress he said, "It won't take me long to get ready," though he was already removing his pajama pants.

Beckett got her sundress on and waited for her husband to throw a shirt and jeans on before she went to brush her hair in the bathroom and put it up into a ponytail. "Ready?" she asked him as he had come inside with her to comb his hair.

"Yes… how long are we staying?" Castle couldn't help asking.

"What time do you have?" Beckett asked as she wasn't wearing her watch.

"It's twelve fifteen," Castle said. "An… hour?"

"We still need to shower," Beckett reminded him.

"Right… and then… dry off and wait so we don't look like we were doing anything," Castle said quickly.

"Pervert," Beckett said though she was smiling at him and squeezing his hand to let him know she agreed with him. "I'll get the key." Since that was on the small table by the door, she was first to it and she held it open before her husband walked over to her. Heading out to the elevator she murmured, "We won't swim that long," smiling as he looked at her in surprise before they were stepping into the car with a few other people, knowing he wanted to ask her what that would mean once they were back inside their room.

Castle was trying not to let his frustration show on his face as he wanted to know why they weren't going to go for that long when she had wanted to go. But they were stepping out and he followed his wife over to the pool before they split up to take off their outer layers. Since he was quick he was first out by the water and he glanced around to find it was empty. He looked at his wife and as soon as she was close enough he said, " _Why_?" in Irish.

With a smile Beckett said simply, " _Because we're not here to swim_ ," speaking in the same language though they were alone.

Shuddering Castle said, " _I have to do it_."

" _You won't_ ," Beckett said in amusement, eyeing him. She lightly kicked off her sandals and then said to him, " _Are you going in_?"

Castle sighed and then said, " _We need to share a chair_."

" _Of course_ ," Beckett said simply before she made her way over to the steps and went down before she parted the water and swam the short distance to the other end. She smiled when her husband was quick behind her and she cupped his cheek telling him, " _I can't help it_."

" _Now you know how I feel constantly_ ," Castle replied. " _So… laps_?" he asked her as they stared at each other.

" _Wait_ ," Beckett said, reaching around to the back of his neck. " _I want us to take a shower but hurry and just… use our hands. Our mouths will take too long_."

Castle pushed himself closer to her and then whispered into her ear, " _Do you want my cock love_?" still speaking in Irish.

Beckett brushed her lips against his; though she couldn't help feeling a thrill at his words; and murmured to him, " _As much as you want my pussy_."

"Vixen," Castle breathed in English before they were kissing one another deeply. He had to stop them though as he was first to recall where they were exactly, and said, "We're not here for that long." He wasn't surprised when his wife nodded rapidly, and they pushed off the end together to start swimming their laps though they were only going back and forth.

Eventually Beckett floated on her back, looking up at the skylight that was new from the renovation. She was startled when she heard something hitting the glass and she straightened up saying, "It's raining," to her husband who was looking out the windows as he was at the end of the pool. "We should get back up to the room," she said, going over to him and touching his back.

Looking at her, Castle was going to speak when he stopped himself and then nodded before they swam swiftly over to the steps and went out to their chair to get their towels. After he'd dried himself off and then rubbed his towel over his hair rapidly, he asked, "Do you want anything up in the room?"

Shaking her head Beckett said, "If you want a snack you can get it." She had expected a wise ass remark about that but when he merely nodded, she realized the effort he'd been making keeping himself calm. She squeezed his hand before they split up to change back into their outer layers. When she was outside, she wasn't surprised to find him waiting for her and she let him take her hand before they made their way up to their room without a word being spoken between them.

At the door, Castle deftly took the key from his wife and opened it, saying with a smile, "After you."

Shaking her head, smiling at him at the same time, Beckett turned her attention to the room and went inside, pausing as she turned her head to look at her husband. "Is this my gift?" she asked in amusement.

"No," Castle said simply, smiling at her before he ushered her inside. When he closed the door and locked it, he said, "I couldn't resist."

"I'm surprised you could keep yourself from getting vases on every table," Beckett said as she had gone straight to the table where they were eating.

"The thought ran through my mind," Castle commented. "But I know you enjoy less."

"This is more than enough," Beckett said, wrapping her arms around his neck and embracing him tightly.

"I love you Kate," Castle said, relieved that she enjoyed his surprise of a vase of white orchids and delphinium flowers.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied. When she pulled away, she smiled at him and said, "I think though we need a shower."

"Don't worry, you can thank me there," Castle told her as they walked together over to the bathroom. Inside they undressed each other but were careful not to touch too much before they went into the shower. He couldn't forget their agreement to fool around there but took the time to gently run his fingers through her hair as she was standing underneath the water. "Kate," he said.

"Hmm?" Beckett asked stepping out once she was sure her hair was rinsed off enough. She breathed out a moan as her husband was kissing at her neck. "Here," she told him. "We don't have much time."

Though he knew that was an outright lie, Castle didn't call out his wife and instead nodded, standing under the water himself. He breathed out heavily at her rubbing her hands over his back while the water ran over it. He didn't stay where he was for too long and he quickly turned around, taking his wife in his arms before they were kissing each other wildly. It seemed every time their lips met they were a little annoyed with the way it felt but they didn't stop until the need to breathe more steadily became more necessary. He murmured his wife's name and ran his hands around her back before he was moving her to lean against the wall. They kissed again but that time they were slower and far more sensuous before his right hand was reaching down to cup her sex fully.

"Oh," Beckett gasped softly as her husband was shifting the heel of his hand to rub her clit. She reached down and gently stopped him telling him, "I said no time."

"I know," Castle replied, letting her go before he slid his right hand around to the small of her back. They kissed, their tongues playing a little together in her mouth before he reached down and fingered her clit. That ended the kiss but neither parted as he was rubbing at her gently while he held her up with his other hand. He watched her closely to see her reactions to his touch and he kissed her jaw before she was reaching for him instead of the wall. The shock of her touch to his arm made him groan before he could stop himself and he gasped into her ear, " _Touch me at the same time_ ," speaking in Irish before he realized he was doing that.

Beckett's response was to quickly grasp his erection, but she was careful not to do so too hard before running her hand up and down gently to his groan of pleasure. When he returned to pleasuring her she kissed him, and they continued to touch one another intimately until she was breaking first and holding onto him as tightly as she could. She was trying to thrust against his hand, his fingers moving within her, and gasped out his name repeatedly until she was fully spent, leaning against him. "Thank you," she said once she was a little stronger. Before he could say anything, she reached for his length again and proceeded to rub him once more.

Castle wasn't sure how exactly he came to be leaning back against the wall, but he appreciated it happening as he climaxed very shortly after. He was relieved when he was able to call her name a few times, and when he finally stopped he grabbed her to pull her into his arms.

Beckett had been about to speak but decided it didn't matter as she became more involved in responding to her husband. They stood under the water together again after they'd stopped and soaped each other off before they were finished with their shower and stepped out together to dry one another off. "We have a little time you know," she told him once they'd stopped.

"I'm very aware," Castle replied before he picked her up in his arms once he'd pulled her towel off her waist. Since he hadn't put on his towel he was able to get her swiftly to the bed, laying on top of her before she took him in her embrace and they were making love passionately yet again.


	38. Loving In Your Eyes (Part 2)

"Rick," Beckett called to her husband. When he opened the door, she smiled at him and said, "They're ready."

"So am I," Castle said quickly as he walked to where she was sitting on the room's couch and he held her tablet in front of them. "Hey everyone," he said once their family appeared on the screen.

"Hi Mommy, Daddy!" Eliza said happily.

"Happy Anniversary Mom, Dad," Julia then told them, smiling herself.

"Josa says the same," Alexis added. "And so do I Dad, Ma."

"We're happy to see you," Beckett told them. "How was your morning?"

"We just had breakfast Mom," Julia said, unable to help grinning.

Beckett laughed softly and said, "Which is why I said morning. Are you still going to the stables?"

"Yeah, right after we talk to you," Julia said. "But what about you?"

"We did get to go riding," Castle said. "It didn't start raining until after lunch."

"And we have gone swimming," Beckett said. "We've come back from the pool so we've been having a very nice anniversary. Despite the fact we miss all of you."

"Stay!" Eliza cried out, smiling when her parents laughed along with her family around her. "You're gonna stay right?"

"Don't worry," Beckett said reassuringly. "We have this room for two more nights, so we'll stay until our flight."

"What will you two do tomorrow?" Martha asked.

"I suppose run into the river… follow it downstream," Castle said thoughtfully.

"Dad." "Daddy," Alexis, Julia and then Eliza said.

"He'll be doing that by himself," Beckett said wryly. "I'll head into Adare."

"You better go Daddy," Eliza said firmly.

"He will," Julia said, wrapping her arm around her little sister.

"Sorry," Castle said, smiling when the little girl pouted at him. He then turned his attention to the baby and said, "We almost forgot to say Happy Birthday sweetheart."

"Happy Birthday," Beckett said with a smile as she knew her husband had been planning to say that to their four-month-old.

"She said thank you Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said as they'd watched Josie wave her hands a little before she vocalized an ah sound.

"How's Josie been doing?" Beckett asked her father and mother in law.

"She's doing well," Jim said. "She hasn't had any problems with the formula."

"But she misses you Mom," Julia said quickly. "And you too Dad."

"That's good to know," Castle said, nodding his head. He was about to ask the girls what they would do besides the stables, but his wife touched his arm and he looked at her before he realized why she was doing that, and he said, "I think we need to go."

"I think your parents are worried about the heat," Jim said to Julia and Eliza who started to protest.

"We are," Beckett told them. "But we'll talk tomorrow and for longer because you'll stay home at the pool." She shared a smile with her husband before they were saying goodbye to their family and the screen went blue. She went to the armoire and put the tablet away, turning to her husband to find him standing at the window by the table. She walked over to him quickly and wrapped her arms around him before they embraced tightly. After a tender kiss she let him pick her up again and take her back to the bed before she touched his lips. She had been about to ask him something that had been on her mind since they'd stopped making love when he was sliding his hand under the skirt of her sundress before he was asking her something instead.

"Mind if I take this off?" Castle said, playing a little with the hem of the dress.

"No," Beckett said though she was grabbing his hand. When he looked at her in surprise, she told him, "I wanted to ask something of you."

"Okay," Castle said slowly at her use of the phrase 'of you'.

With a slight smile Beckett said, "Would you wear your glasses for me?"

"For you? Definitely," Castle said without a second of hesitation. He then said, "You really want me to?" When she nodded and brushed her lips against his he said, "If you're sure."

"Just put them on," Beckett said with a smile. She got out of his way and then said, "We didn't talk to them for too long."

"Well, Louis said it'd be better if they go early and they're going to ride for a while," Castle said, bringing his glasses case from where it'd been in his bag in the armoire. "And you agreed and they're going to be doing that for a while. Plus, what could we have said to them about today that we didn't already?"

"That's true," Beckett replied slowly. "And we'll talk to them later tomorrow." She then smiled and said, "You need to undress first."

"I figured," Castle said wryly before he was taking off his plaid shirt he'd worn for their Skype call. He got his black t-shirt off and was going to reach for his jeans when his wife was suddenly grabbing his arm.

"I changed my mind; glasses first," Beckett told him.

"Okay," Castle said after a moment of hesitation. He grabbed the case and put his pair of glasses on before he was about to ask her jokingly what she wanted him to do next. But to his surprise she was suddenly standing in front of him and wrapping her arms around his neck before they were kissing passionately and clutching at one another tightly. He wasn't sure how long it took them to stop but once they did he reached for the bottom of her dress with one hand as he watched her closely to see her reaction.

Not saying a word, Beckett instead wrapped her right leg up around him and pressed close to him before saying, "Now I'm regretting your pants still on."

"Hold on," Castle said, reaching for the fly and opening it as fast he could before he was pulling them off with his boxers next. As soon as they were on the floor, he pulled his wife against him again and they kissed before she was wrapping her leg around him. When their groins pressed together, he groaned and ended the kiss so he could say, "I forgot you're naked under here."

"Help me get this dress off," Beckett told him as they'd let go of each other.

"You don't need it," Castle told her, bracing himself as he expected her to be mad at him.

Giving him a halfhearted look, Beckett quickly grabbed the bottom of her dress and she pulled it off her, trying not to go too quickly as she knew her husband wanted to watch. When she had it on top of his clothes she said with a smile, "Good?"

"Yes," Castle said simply before he was kissing her and then picking her up.

"Oh! Like this?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Yes," Castle asked as he'd picked her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He nearly loosened his grip a second later when he realized she was trying to thrust against him already. "Kate," he groaned as he finally made it to the bed, trying not to drop her before he set her down. "Don't tell me it's because of my glasses."

Smirking Beckett grabbed her husband and pulled him down onto the bed before pushing him onto his back. She straddled him as soon as he was down and said, "It is, and you don't know how much I've wanted to ask you to wear these." She ran her hands down his chest and said, "Keep them on."

"Y-e-es," Castle groaned out as she had lowered her sex onto him. He breathed out hard when they were finally coupled, and he was about to speak when she was crossing her legs on him and making him swear heavily since she was gripping at his erection. When she had stopped he was a little dazed, but his wife was touching his thigh behind her and he had to focus to hear her speaking.

"Can you push yourself up?" Beckett asked him, caressing his skin gently. She was a little concerned when he just nodded rapidly and was about to straddle him again when he was getting up on his elbows. Seeing that he was ready she tried out her first thrust and they groaned together before she was rocking back and forth a few times. Since it was easier to do that, she kept it up before stopping and doing her best to thrust a bit normally. She found sweat soon breaking out on her body and she said, "Rick-"

"How?" Castle asked, waiting for her to get off him so he could get up himself. He took his wife into his arms when she came to him and they were kissing one another lovingly at first before they were becoming passionate and finally rough as their grip on each other was the same. After they stopped he said, "You need to pick." He saw she was going to open her mouth so he quickly added, "I want you to."

Since her response to that was to kiss him, Beckett wasn't surprised when he cupped her ass before he slapped it lightly. Since she had to react vocally it took her a moment to say, "Here," as she got off the bed.

Castle was scrambling after her and he expected her to go away from the bed but was watching her leaning over the chest that was at the end of the bed. He followed and said, "I don't know what this is for; I don't care; but I'm loving its placement right now."

Beckett would have laughed, but her husband was sliding into her and she moaned deeply before their skin was touching. A second later he began to thrust, and she was doing the same since she was holding onto the other edge of the chest. Their hips were slapping, and she cried out before she; for some reason; recalled something. "I wanted… I wanted to watch you… you… Fuck me! I need to watch you while you fuck me," she started to say before she cried out and said the last bit in a rush.

"After this," Castle said, nearly gritting his teeth together as he had to hold onto her hips so he couldn't end up slipping out of her. But something came to mind and he thrust a little hard before he ended up doing that and he breathed out hard against her shoulder.

"What is it?" Beckett asked, frustrated immediately at the ache that was within her with his leaving her.

"I didn't want to do that, but I thought…" Castle started to say. "Here," he told her, pulling her hand gently.

Beckett wasn't surprised in the slightest when her husband brought her to the right bottom post of the bed and she said, "You think I'm alright with that?"

"If I was deciding this without taking you into consideration then I'd just throw you on the post," Castle commented. He would have smiled when his wife kissed him but since he was a little busy responding he did so mentally, and when they parted was busy again pushing up against her back so he could slip within her again.

Holding onto the bedpost, Beckett wondered why her husband hadn't admitted that her position at that moment was something he'd been fantasizing about. But she couldn't dwell on that thought for long as they were thrusting once more, and because she had a better grip on the post as opposed to the chest she could move as fast as he was. "Are… we…" she moaned out after she felt how quickly they were going together.

"I can… slow down," Castle nearly yelled to her as his body was burning pleasurably. He was able to see she was shaking her head and then continued what had ended up becoming a quickie. He was holding onto her hips again and he squeezed them a little tightly when he could feel them inching closer to the edge. The friction between them was intense with their pace and he heard his wife crying out for a moment before she was chanting his name after what seemed like moments but was slightly longer though he couldn't know. He was very swift to follow her lead since she was drawing him after her and he called her name repeatedly, relieved they knew their room was soundproofed.

When she felt her husband stopping behind her, Beckett waited for him to pull away before she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "The next time you want to do something like that just ask me," she told him, smiling at him.

"I just realized it," Castle said. "Because we did it before."

Beckett smiled and said, "Of course we did. But I'm not kidding, this won't be completely about me."

"Alright," Castle said. "But right now, we should get to yours."

Laughing softly Beckett brushed her lips to her husband's before letting go of him and pulling him with her over to the bed. After he was laying back, she followed him and said, "Next time though let's not have it be a quickie."

"I agree," Castle replied. He smiled and rubbed her shoulder saying, "Would it surprise you if I told you that I have an idea for the bathtub?"

"No," Beckett replied, turning to look at him better. "Let's rest a little bit though, okay?"

Nodding his head, Castle waited for her to relax against him again with her cheek on his shoulder. He rubbed her shoulder once more and kept doing that until he fell asleep, not aware that he needed any rest before his wife was noticing his relaxed state.

"Rick?" Beckett said, raising her head to look at him when his hand stopped moving on her and slid off it. She smiled when she saw he was asleep and was debating if she should take off his glasses. She decided he wouldn't mind leaving them on and slipped away from him to get off the bed. She went to their clothes from the Skype call and grabbed Castle's shirt before she pulled it on. She went around the couch and stood at the middle windows, smiling as she looked down at the grounds where they had renewed their vows the year before. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned her shoulder against the glass, feeling the cool of the panes on her still heated skin. She let her thoughts take her attention and she had no idea how long exactly she was standing there before she could hear her husband calling to her. Turning back to the bed she smiled when she saw he was sitting up and she went over to him, getting on the bed and kissing him as soon as she was close. After they had parted, she was going to tease him about taking a nap when he suddenly turned her onto her back to lay in the middle of the bed before he spoke to her while he kissed her every so often which she let him do gladly.

"I'm so sorry… I fell asleep… I still love you… you know that right?" Castle asked her, startled by her soft laugh which made him pull away from her to look down at her.

"Don't worry," Beckett said, sitting up after she had gently pressed her hand to his shoulder. "I didn't take it as an insult."

"Oh… I thought I heard your phone shake while I was getting up," Castle then told her after he'd studied her wearing his t-shirt. He watched her turn to get it from her nightstand and he reached out, slapping her ass through his shirt to her startled exclamation of his name. "That's your punishment for stealing my shirt," he said as she quickly turned around to him, sitting up on her knees.

Beckett took that moment to think of what she wanted to do and luckily it came to her very quickly. She reached for the bottom of the shirt and took it off, tossing it past the chest so it was out of sight once it hit the floor. "Anything else for punishment?" she asked with a slight smirk on her face as he was staring at her bare body.

"Oh… no," Castle started to say before he said the no swiftly. He gathered her in his arms and then kissed her hungrily though quickly as he moved to kiss around her jaw and neck. He did that a few more times before she stopped him, and they stared at each other, breathing roughly, before they leaned into one another and kissed sensuously so they could feel their tongues rubbing together.

When they had stopped, Beckett moved to lay in the middle of the bed and she pulled her husband with her so he was soon on top of her. "Fuck me?" she murmured as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I want to love you," Castle said before they kissed. When she took his erection, he knew she'd understood his response was an affirmative to her request and he moved to slide within her. He moved slowly, both expressing their pleasure vocally until their hips were pressed together. "Kate," he breathed out to her before she was grabbing his face with her hands and they kissed deeply as he made his first thrust.

"Wait!" Beckett suddenly cried out. "Sorry," she told him, but she quickly moved her legs as she realized she wanted something slightly different than them wrapped around her husband's waist. She drew her left leg up so she could place her foot flat against the side of her husband's knee and her right she moved to place that foot flat on the back of his left calf.

"Good?" Castle asked her.

"I should be asking you that," Beckett said, pushing herself up on her elbows. She kissed him before they parted, and she murmured, "Fuck me."

Castle decided he didn't really need to say anything and instead started to move again, groaning with his wife as he was getting deep within her again. "Kate," he groaned heavily in joy when a second later she was biting at his chin gently. He bowed his head and their lips met and he realized they were likely going to keep that position which made him shudder. But he was distracted by his need to literally fight with his wife's tongue as they were pushing back and forth into each other's mouths. When they parted to breathe he groaned and said, "My glasses…"

"They'll defog," Beckett said quickly as his lenses had ended up doing that a bit while they'd kissed. She sighed as he was kissing her jaw and she turned her head to the side while he continued in that direction. Once he was at her ear, she couldn't help the laugh that almost exploded out of her as she was breathing out at the same time since he was biting at her ear lobe gently though her hair was in the way. She was going to reach up to move it out of the way when her husband did so, and at the same time completely stopped moving.

"If you want us to keep this position we need to stop," Castle said, not surprised that his tone of voice was almost desperate. When she nodded, he nuzzled her ear and murmured into it, "What's wrong?"

"You're throbbing," Beckett told him. When he kissed her, she knew already that was him telling her she was doing so too, and she responded for as long as she could before they stopped. "Love… move, please," she then told him as it was a little too much to handle when she shifted her hips slightly.

"I'll do this again," Castle warned her.

"I don't care," Beckett said quickly. When he nodded and started to thrust again, she gasped out since the first one felt as if he was getting in deeper than before. She fell back on the bed before she could stop herself, but her husband was following her quickly, kissing her shoulders and collarbone while she held onto the back of his head. She was doing her best to thrust with him, but it was made more difficult with her not wanting to hurt her husband by pressing on his body too hard. So even though she didn't want to move her legs she did so, placing her feet flat on the bed with her knees spreading. When he thrust into her a second later, she was nearly pushing herself up off the bed as the pleasure was instant. "Rick… oh god don't stop… you're so… fucking… deep!" she cried out as she held onto his shoulders as tightly as she could.

"I can't," Castle began, trying not to pant too loudly. "I'm going to fuck you… until you faint… goddess," he groaned before he was slowing his thrusts a little. He did that a few times before speeding up and he began to vary them, but he changed the timing every instance he slowed down until he stopped moving all together with a heavy curse in Irish.

"Are you alright?" Beckett asked, caressing the back of his head.

"Yeah… just… almost too much," Castle replied. He then sighed and said, "I thought we'd stick with that position."

"I wanted… apparently I wanted more," Beckett said, kissing his temple. "But I wanted to move with you."

"Do you want me to-" Castle started to say before he was kissing her as she had initiated it. They were involved in that for some time and he groaned while she cried out when they ended it as they immediately began to thrust against each other. "Kate," he groaned. "If we can't move around… just move your legs."

"I am," Beckett said as she'd already been moving them as he'd spoken. She placed her feet flat on the bed, directly next to her husband's knees so she would touch them. He was getting deep inside of her and their hips were slapping together hard since she had better mobility with that leverage. She dug her nails into his back again while she was vocalizing her pleasure with every smack of their skin and she gasped out after some time of that. "I'm…" she started to say.

"I know, just come," Castle begged her. "I can't take it… you're too good… Let me worship you again."

"Yes! Oh, Rick… love I'm coming, please… please!" Beckett cried as his thrust down hard into her clit made her feel as if every inch of herself was exploding. The ecstasy that was nearly a fire spanned her entire body and it seemed to intensify since she could feel her husband joining her. She clung to him, her arms and legs both doing that, and they called one another's names as their orgasms seemed to last a little longer than normal. But she could feel herself stopping and felt a bit weak, trying her best to still hold onto Castle before he was giving her a last thrust and collapsing nearly fully on her. As they were regaining their energy, she caressed him where she could, loving their constant intimacy in their coupled bodies. When he raised his head and began kissing her, she let him move within her and followed suit, her desire for him becoming too much to keep at bay and they indulged in one another with their love making yet again.

* * *

"Kate?"

"Hmm?"

"I have to confess something."

"Negative?"

Castle smiled at his wife's sigh and he kissed the side of her neck tenderly telling her, "No… actually there's two things but they're not negative."

"Good," Beckett said, leaning back against him. "Hopefully you'll tell me."

"I will," Castle replied. "And first I actually didn't have some big plan for this tub; just us using it at least once. The other one is I really hate this bun in your hair." He wasn't surprised when she sat up and turned around to face him before he told her, "I'm trying to bury my face into it and I can't do it."

Giving him a look; though she didn't really put anything behind it; Beckett said, "I don't really want to get my hair wet."

"Just the ends will," Castle said. When she rolled her eyes, he couldn't help smiling but schooled himself to not let it last for that long before he was watching her taking her hair out of its bun.

"What if I ever decided to cut it short again?" Beckett asked her husband as he pulled her to him once she was leaning back against him.

"I'd hate the idea inwardly, but once you did it I'd realize I'd still be able to do this," Castle replied before he was burying his face into her hair.

Beckett was smiling as she could tell he was trying to smell the locks and she said, "Good thing I washed it."

"You know it wouldn't matter if it smelled like chlorine," Castle told her. He smiled when she glanced back at him and said, "Really. Because then I'd hopefully get the chance to wash it."

Beckett gave a mock exaggerated sigh and said, "Alright, can we get out? I'm getting wrinkled."

"And apparently I'm hungry," Castle said when his stomach suddenly growled.

Beckett laughed and brushed her lips to her husband's and said, "So am I," before she let him get out first. She waited for him to dry himself off and once he had his towel wrapped around his waist, she stood up herself and stepped out onto the floor before she was wrapped up in her towel by him.

Castle dried off his wife as much as he could before he let her have the towel and he said, "Should I call first or dress?"

"Dress," Beckett replied. When he looked at her in confusion she smiled and told him, "If they bring something up here before you're ready…"

"Okay," Castle said simply before he kissed her cheek and left. He let Beckett close the door behind him and went to the armoire to dress quickly before he got the room's phone and the menu for The Carriage House they were having there in their room.

When she had finished getting dressed Beckett was quick to apply her makeup before she started on her hair. Though she had been worried when she let it down in the bath it hadn't gotten wet and she was able to put it up into a bun after she had brushed it out. She grabbed her mother's comb and tucked it against the back of her head before she made a last check in the mirror and she started to turn towards the door. "Rick," she said under her breath, shaking her head. She picked up his glasses and went out into the room in time to see her husband was closing the door behind someone. "You forgot something," she said, getting his attention.

"Oh, you know I figured I did but I wanted to give you a chance to change," Castle said after he hesitated for a moment while he took her in wearing her blue lace dress, walking up to her and then taking his glasses. He put them on and then wrapped his arms around her telling her, " _Breathnaíonn tú taibhseach_ ," which meant she looked gorgeous.

"You know I feel the same about you," Beckett told him with a smile, leaning over and brushing her lips against his. "Especially now you have your glasses on."

Castle drew her closer and proceeded to kiss her deeply before she was wrapping her arms around his neck and responding to him eagerly. When they slowly pulled away from one another he said with a sigh, "Dinner is here."

"Hopefully it's not cold already," Beckett said with a smile. They brushed their lips together before she let him lead her over to the table and let him help her into her chair. "What are we having?" she asked as she'd told him to pick out what they ate.

"I got the short rib," Castle said. When his wife looked at him in surprise he laughed and said, "You saw the menu?"

Nodding Beckett replied. "You could have gotten the burger."

"Not that romantic with juice from a tomato dribbling down my chin," Castle commented, taking the cloche off her plate first. "I got you the roasted chicken." He was relieved when she kissed his cheek and told her, "It was either that or the sea bass."

"No fish tonight," Beckett said. She got her napkin and her cutlery before they began to eat and after a few bites she said, "What about after this?"

"Dessert," Castle said simply. When she pushed at his shoulder he laughed and said, "No I figured we would just… sit and talk a little."

"Dance?" Beckett guessed.

"Good suggestion," Castle replied. When she pushed him again, he was laughing and told her, "I thought we should. But really you can have some input."

"I like your ideas," Beckett said easily. She gently squeezed his hand and then said, "Here," feeding him some of her chicken after she'd gotten it on her fork and he'd nodded to her questioning glance. When she saw the way he was looking at her after pulling her fork away from his mouth she bit her lower lip and murmured his name before he was cupping her cheek and was speaking to her intently in Irish as he caressed her skin gently with his thumb.

" _You can call me your nickname if you want to_ ," Castle began. " _But I have the sudden urge to nourish you_."

It took Beckett a moment to think of what she wanted to say in response to that as it was so arousing, but she was finally able to speak saying, "Pervert."

"You want that," Castle said, almost as if in wonder, reaching down to grab her by the waist. He then realized they were still eating, and he let her go saying, "We need to eat first."

Though she was tempted to tell him they didn't have to Beckett nodded and they turned back to their plates. After a moment she then said, "The food is good."

"It is," Castle said. "You figure after everything we've done today we'd want to eat."

"There's a reason why we call this an addiction," Beckett said simply. She then smiled at him and said, "But remember you have dessert at the end."

"I'm not a kid," Castle said in slight annoyance though he was squeezing her hand. "And that's for us both."

Nodding, Beckett finished the last of her chicken and then said, "No toast?"

"Oh, right," Castle said. "To us love."

"To us," Beckett said before they tapped their cups together. After they'd taken a sip she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips before saying, "Do you want dessert now?"

"It can wait," Castle said before he stood and started getting everything from the table to set outside. When he'd finished, he went to where his wife was standing at the windows behind the couch and placed his hand on her back before they began to kiss tenderly. After sharing a number of those he reached for his phone and started playing their song, pulling her away from the window a little so they could wrap their arms around one another while they danced.

Pressing her cheek to her husband's, Beckett closed her eyes as she took in that moment. Castle was murmuring the lyrics of _Always_ to her and she turned her head slightly so she could bury her face into his neck a bit. She could smell his scent in doing that and just feeling him while they swayed aroused her still. When the song ended, she let go of him first and then reached for his hand so she could pull him over to the couch where she let him sit.

"I was going-" Castle started to say when his wife walked over to the table.

"Don't be my servant," Beckett said quickly. She smiled when he closed his mouth and set the plate with their dessert on it on the table in front of him. She joined him on the couch and said, "What is this?"

"Rice pudding," Castle said. "It sounded interesting," he added swiftly.

"It looks like it," Beckett commented. "Pears?" she asked, picking up the bowl that the dessert was in.

"Toffee pears; according to the menu," Castle said. "With candied lemons and oats… that last one I'm sure is inside," he added from what he remembered the menu saying. He watched her dig the spoon that had come with the bowl into it and said, "Have the first bite," as they were studying the rice pudding itself under the pears. He smiled when she glanced at him and then moved to take the spoon carefully from her so he could feed her that time.

Though she wanted to protest, Beckett leaned over and let him give her the spoonful before she started to chew. She tried her best not to smile while she did that as he was watching her closely. "It's good," she said once she had finished. "There's a reason why I let you pick," she said with a smile as he was getting some for himself. She got the spoon from him and filled it, feeding it to him. They took turns doing that and once the bowl was empty she stood to make them a mug of tea while her husband took the bowl outside into the hall.

Once they were sitting together on the couch again, Castle wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and pulled her to him as he lowered his head to hers. They began to kiss one another deeply but they were slow, wanting to take the time to taste each other. That started them continuing to build each kiss in intensity, until she was nearly digging her nails into his back as his left hand was reaching under her skirt.

"No, wait," Beckett said, breaking off their kiss suddenly. "I didn't want you to do that… tonight."

"What do you have on?" Castle asked in mock suspiciousness.

Beckett smiled and brushed her lips against his before she told him, "You'll find out. For now, I don't want to stop." She was pleased when he was quick to kiss her again and she held onto him as they started the same process once more until they absolutely had to stop.

"You're going to have to tie my hands behind my back," Castle told his wife after they'd caught their breath. There was a part of him that was startled by her kiss but when she made it gentle, he responded before she was moving his hands to go around her back. Getting the hint very easily he unzipped her dress and used the need to spread the fabric apart as an excuse to start touching her.

Trembling in pleasure, Beckett pulled away from him and got off his lap where she'd eventually ended up. "I'll be back," she told him with a smile at his wide-eyed stare at her.

"Should I wait here?" Castle asked.

"No, on your side of the bed," Beckett said as she then slipped inside of the bathroom.

Castle couldn't help the heavy breath of air he exhaled then, or jumping when the sound of it startled him enough to make him do that. He shook his head and then got up, discarding his blazer and his tie before he folded them both to set on the coffee table for the next night. That done he made his way to the bed while he was untucking his dress shirt at the same time. He studied the bed; which he'd made while he had been waiting for the food to arrive; and he turned down the covers so they wouldn't be in the way. That done, he hesitated before he decided to just sit on the edge of his side to wait for her once she was finished. At first, he thought he was going to need to wait for a while when shortly after he'd sat down the door to the bathroom was opening and he nearly jumped up in his haste to be standing as she stepped out.

"Are you that impatient?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

Castle was about to deny it when he realized how he'd looked getting up, so he simply nodded his head. "Which is weird, I've seen you naked all day," he then commented.

"It's different," Beckett suggested. When he nodded, she smiled and said, "Should I start?"  
"Start what?" Castle asked, a myriad of ideas going through his head at that.

"Pervert, undressing," Beckett replied. "Speaking of that I'm surprised you're still dressed."

"Well, I think I know what you like. Don't call me pervert," Castle said quickly yet jokingly, pointing to her.

Beckett laughed softly and then untied the thin silk robe she was wearing, revealing what she'd had underneath her blue dress during dinner and the two items she'd put on for him quickly. "Sorry about the lack of garters but it's less to take off you know," she told him, watching his eyes raking over her to her arousal.

"That's true, and you still look fucking gorgeous," Castle said slightly huskily. He went to her and grabbed her, pulling her to him saying, "There's one thing though…"

"I know," Beckett said, reaching up and gently brushing her fingertips against his lips. "But I promise I'll take this to Tahiti." When he shuddered hard against her and leaned against her slightly she smiled and said, "You're welcome."

"Yeah," Castle said, his voice heavily strained. "Thank you so much." He was about to kiss her when he stopped and made her pull away enough so he could look at her body. "Kate you… I can see your cleft," he said as he realized he hadn't been imagining it.

"Of course you can," Beckett said, not surprised when he reached down to the light blue panties that were see through over her mound. She bit her lower lip when he wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her as hard as he could, holding onto her under her robe while his hands were roaming her back. She moaned in pleasure when he firmly cupped her ass and then gasped as he reached for the sleeves of the robe. Knowing what he wanted already; and wanting the same herself; she helped him and let him lay her down on the bed. She smiled when he went straight to her legs and gently started to roll her stockings down them and kissed after the fabric as well. Sighing in pleasure when he moved up to kiss over her thighs and then her mound though that was still covered.

Breathing a little hard against her, Castle brushed a few gentle kisses to her thighs before his wife was calling his name and he looked up at her as she tried pulling him up. He went to her quickly and they proceeded to kiss deeply and he lay directly on top of her, his hands running over her body that he could reach before he felt her hands over his back. He couldn't stop moving against her as she was arching her hips up against him and they were groaning together in their pleasure. He wasn't sure how long they were doing that but suddenly he stiffened and let out a heavy groan that turned into his wife's name as he suddenly orgasmed.

"Rick?" Beckett asked in surprise when he threw himself off her as he was cursing bitterly. "It's alright," she said, going to him quickly and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed the back of his head and told him, "We were doing that together."

"But why me and not you too?" Castle asked her, moving his hands and glancing back at her.

"I don't know… I had a chance to calm down changing," Beckett said. She then smiled and said, "And you know what my stockings do to you."

"It wasn't just that. Everything you're wearing did that to me," Castle said firmly. He turned and said, "But that quickly…"

Shaking her head Beckett said as she straightened his hair that he had mussed up gently, "You know that's a great compliment for me."

"That's true but not to myself," Castle said. He then smiled at her and said, "But you could help me feel better."

"Pervert," Beckett said, kissing him on the lips once she'd spoken. After they'd parted, she then said, "Alright but let me undress you."

"I… I don't really think you should," Castle said slowly as he watched her stand up.

"It's alright, I've seen this before," Beckett said with a gentle smile.

"Okay," Castle said slowly, still unsure. He stood up himself and helped her in getting his shirt unbuttoned and off before he stopped her when she reached for his trousers. "Let me," he told her gently.

Nodding, Beckett stepped back a little and then watched her husband unbutton the fly and pull them off. Seeing that the front of his boxers was slightly darker in color she said, "Hmm… do you have anything left for me?"

As he'd been about to toss his pants aside Castle froze and they fell right next to him before he looked at her, his eyes wide.

"I'm not kidding; I want you to come inside me the rest of the night," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband got his boxers off in a rush before she stopped him from going to her. "Stay where you are," she said before she went into the bathroom.

Castle was a little surprised, but he heard one of the faucets running before she came back out with a washcloth in hand. He let her clean him off, trying not to breathe too hard as she was a little meticulous and once she stopped he took her wrist gently before saying, "I can take that."

"Alright," Beckett said, watching him go over to the bathroom with the washcloth. She glanced around and picked up his trousers, folding them and setting them on one of the armchairs before she heard Castle calling to her. "You need to wear them tomorrow," she explained to him, knowing he was wondering what she was doing.

"That's true but I wouldn't mind ironing," Castle replied before she came up to him. They kissed sensuously and once they had stopped he said, "What would you like."

"I think I want more than just one position," Beckett said with a smile.

"Me too," Castle said eagerly. When his wife raised her eyebrow at him, he smiled and told her, "Tell me you're not feeling the same."

"I love you Rick," Beckett told him before they were kissing yet again.

"I love you Kate. _I gcónaí_?" Castle said, asking her always at the end.

" _I gcónaí_ ," Beckett responded before they kissed. That was far quicker as she was turning around to allow him to unclasp her light blue bra; that had been see through too; before she took those off and the panties that were the special set she'd bought for her husband. She was soon laying down on the middle of the bed, letting her husband take her left leg to place her ankle on his shoulder. Her right leg firmly wrapped around him she expected him to move to enter her when he just stared at her. She was about to ask what was wrong when he spoke just before she could manage to open her mouth.

"I think I need a little help," Castle explained to her. He wasn't surprised when she reached for his erection and he allowed her that before he had to guide her hand. Once he slipped inside of her, he groaned as she was gasping, and he said, "Are we staying on the bed?" though he wasn't sure where that question had come from.

"Anywhere but the table… or the… the… Rick," Beckett started to say before she was moaning her husband's name while he was sliding within her slowly. He finally stopped when their hips had met making her sigh and tell him, "Anything else we can't cover with a towel or… hold on to at least."

Castle nodded in agreement; which she was luckily able to see; and with that he began to thrust, going slowly at first to her soft moan of protest. He then picked up his speed slightly before he was changing his angle a little and going down to try and reach her clit. When she cried out hard a second later, he knew he'd succeeded and did that a few more times before he was going faster. He could feel her leg around his waist tightening on him each time he was doing that before he swore and began to slow down. "Kate…" he told her.

"Stop," Beckett said with a brief smile. When he had she sighed and said, "We were doing that for a while."

"I know but if we're really going to have a sampler-" Castle started to say, jumping playfully when his wife had pinched his side. "We're not going to be able to be in each position for very long." He paused and then added, "Or place."

"I know," Beckett said with a smile. "What now? Or where?" she added, smirking for a moment.

Pulling away from her, Castle sighed in frustration at the same time as his wife before he said, "I think this is your turn."

"We're switching?" Beckett asked him as she sat up. When he nodded, she gently touched his knee before he got up on his and she straddled him swiftly. After they were coupled again, they were thrusting together though she was able to move far faster than him. She was crying out and moaning every time she went down on him, the friction between them rough again. She wasn't sure how long they were doing that but suddenly he was slipping out of her and they both swore. She laughed and said, "That's our cue," to her husband's nod before she let him pull her off the bed.

Though he had to duck into the bathroom to grab another towel, Castle was going as fast as he could to get it onto the desk and then his wife on it after. But he was startled when she stopped him before he could go to her and then knelt suddenly, kissing her feet before she could say anything. "What did you want?" he asked for a moment before making his way up her legs until he was at her knees.

Smiling, Beckett said, "I want to put my feet on your hips; before you start." When he moved to press close to her, she laughed briefly before moving her legs to do as she'd desired, and they grabbed his length together before he was slipping inside of her again. They were thrusting together; as she clung to the edge of the desk; before they were kissing, and she was fighting his tongue that plunged into her mouth. Rolling around she tasted him and could feel him and hear his skin as it struck her own, making her wish they weren't going to stop. But when he did some time later, she was breathing hard and was limp against the desk.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked, watching her in concern.

Shaking her head Beckett confessed, "I was close. We can't spend that much longer."

"I don't want to be away from the bed for that much longer," Castle told her, leaning over to her and kissing her tenderly. When they parted, he said gently, "Can we go around here?"

"The couch and the armchairs?" Beckett asked, looking around. "The chest?"

"Not that one… or the armchairs," Castle said, pulling away from her though he regretted it. "The couch is sturdier."

"True," Beckett said, letting him take her off the desk. "Leave that," she told him, indicating the towel.

Though he had wanted to shudder in pleasure at the thought, Castle moved with her to the sofa where he stood directly behind her as she was standing so she faced the bed. He began to run his hands around her stomach, trailing up to her breasts but stopping before he could reach them and traveling back down. "My goddess," he breathed against her shoulder. "I adore you," he murmured into her hair against the side of her head.

"I want you Rick," Beckett moaned in pleasure as his index fingers were slipping around her clit. "I want to do the same to you," she then said.

"We will," Castle said before he pulled away from her and then picked her up to her gasp of surprise. He carried her to the bed and at her direction threw her there to her laughter. When she pulled him on her he realized what she wanted to do, and he got on her, thrusting as hard as he could once he was inside of her. He felt her moving with him and they continued that for a short while before they were moving, and she was above him. They proceeded to switch repeatedly on the bed, losing track of how many times or how long they spent each time. He was aware of their bodies wrapped around each other, friction rampant between them until they were stopping with him above her with her arms and legs spread as she'd wanted. "Here love," he told her, moving her.

Beckett went willingly as she was tired of having to pause her pleasure when they stopped. She leaned over the chest at the end of the bed and said, "Are you-"

"No," Castle reassured her. "Just a little like this… if you're alright with it."

Looking back at him over her shoulder, Beckett smiled and said, "I think I am… I'm sure this is me presenting myself."

"Vixen," Castle managed to say after he swore a bit in Irish. He then draped his body over her and proceeded to thrust once he had entered her again. He groaned while she was crying out, the pleasure intense as they'd been doing that for so long.

Holding onto the other side of the chest, Beckett forced herself back against her husband so hard the piece of furniture rocked slightly before her husband stopped. She went with him quickly once he'd slipped out of her and then laid down in the middle of the bed again. Wrapping her arms and legs around him as soon as he was inside of her again, she did her best to move with him as they kissed at the same time. There was little time for that though as she was soon breaking, her orgasm making her breathless for an instant before she was calling to him, begging him to fuck her again though she was taking in the repeated waves of ecstasy while they rushed through her. When he began to climax as well, she was crying out and a few seconds later she was doing that a second time herself. She was trying to move still with him but her rhythm; which had matched him before; was lost and she was writhing against his body until the last of her strength was gone. She felt him continuing, moving almost frantically within her for a little longer before they were both fully limp on the bed.

"Kate… please tell me you're okay," Castle eventually said when he felt he had regained his strength.

"Hmm, I am," Beckett replied with a heavy sigh. "No, don't-" she started to say when he pulled away from her. But he was soon lying next to her and she sighed in slight frustration before asking, "Are we doing that again?"

"Not unless you want to," Castle replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head. He was about to ask her if she wanted to continue making love when something suddenly came to him and he got off the bed with a groan.

"What is it?" Beckett said as she sat up and watched him.

"My gift to you," Castle replied. He was startled when he heard her laughing and paused, looking back at her.

"My gift for you, it's in my suitcase," Beckett said simply.

"Is there anything in there you don't want me to see yet?" Castle asked as he went to the armoire.

"No, I just brought one set," Beckett told him slowly as he got the envelope she had and came back to the bed with two in hand.

As soon as he was back with her Castle kissed his wife lovingly and then said, "Hopefully you'll like this," as he handed her the envelope he'd written her name on.

Beckett cupped his cheek before she opened it and pulled out a picture of a jewelry box and she breathed out a little when she saw the Indian looking inlay on the top of it. "It's beautiful," she told her husband as she looked up at him with a smile.

"Those are mother of pearl and abalone in the inlay," Castle quickly said, happy with her reaction. "But it's the box; wood for the modern gift."

"I know, thank you so much," Beckett said earnestly, wrapping her arms around him. As they kissed tenderly, she was careful with the picture in her hand on his back and when they parted she said, "I'll put this on my dresser by the fireplace."

"Good place," Castle said, tempted to ask her what she'd put in it but held back. He then turned his attention to his own envelope and proceeded to open it, pulling out a picture that made him start to laugh before he looked at his wife.

"Iron," Beckett said, which was the traditional gift for the sixth anniversary. "But no more of those, alright?"

"Sure," Castle said, deciding he didn't need to say she had given it to him.

"Now," Beckett said, taking the picture of his iron dagger out of his hand and setting it with hers on his nightstand. "Why don't we rest?"

"We should," Castle said in agreement, smiling as he laid down first. He took her in his arms and as soon as she was close he proceeded to kiss her, taking her lips sensuously at first before they slowed down a little and then parted. With a heavy sigh of contentment, he wrapped his arms around her to hold her firmly to his side and said, "Is this what you wanted from marriage?"

With a slight smile on her face Beckett said, "I had no idea what else I wanted besides the love and respect of whoever my husband was. So the fact I have what I do with you is more than I anticipated. And what I want," brushing her lips to his at the end. When they stopped kissing; as he was responding to her; she asked him, "What about you?"

"My answer is the same as yours," Castle said. When she just studied him, having propped herself up to look down at him, he reached up and started to run his fingers through her hair telling her, "I told you before, I went through with both weddings before thinking I had to go through them as a requirement. With you I absolutely had to be with you for the rest of our lives, I wanted children with you and wanted this with you." He ran his hand over her bare back, letting it rest on the small of it before she leaned down to him and kissed him before he responded to her in turn. After they stopped, he caressed her hair and said, "I want to come back next year."

"I thought we said every year," Beckett replied, leaning up and pressing her lips to his jaw a few times. "And we should try."

Castle, looking down at her, studied her for a moment and said adoringly, "I want you again Kate."

"We will," Beckett said. She smiled when he looked surprised and then said, "I want you too. But for now, promise me in four years we'll be back here too."

"Of course, every five years," Castle said. He gently ran his hand over the back of her head and told her, "I love you Kate."

"I love you so much Rick," Beckett replied quickly. They were looking at each other and soon after she leaned down, kissing him before her husband was suddenly flipping her around onto her back. She wrapped her arms and legs around him until he stopped and slowly pulled away from her. She bit her lower lip and asked, "Will you fuck me again love?"

"Until you want me to stop," Castle said swiftly. He then said with a slight smile, "Our anniversary isn't over yet either."

"Pervert," Beckett said.

"And I'm yours you know," Castle told her as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"You are," Beckett said in agreement. "And I want you again."

"Always love," Castle told her huskily.

"Always," Beckett breathed before they were kissing once more.

It took very little time for Castle and Beckett to come together and begin to make love, wanting to make sure they could feel that love. They were passionate and rough and didn't stop until they were climaxing nearly in sync. They lay on the bed for a while to regain their strength, but eventually they started again with Beckett above her husband as Castle held her close. Every time they came together from then on, they made sure they were loving as well as eager since their desire didn't cease being intense. And while they continued their intimacy the room filled with the sounds of their pleasure and their voices expressing their love and adoration as they continued to celebrate their anniversary into the rest of the night.


	39. When We're Back Together Again

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Loved reading the feedback I got for the last chapter considering what it was about, so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really happy you thought it was a great anniversary for Castle and Beckett. And nice to read you liked how the kids acted for them during their call!),

Mb (Great to see you thought the chapter was a fantastic update! And I'm glad you love how they are when Castle and Beckett are riding together and are carefree and happy. Nice to see you loved the flashback of the adoption being done and how it felt natural and right to them all. And you're right, Beckett has always been Alexis' mother in her heart loving Alexis in the present and then being her birth mother in their past life. It was interesting to see you said it was like Castle and Beckett were always meant to be though I do agree with that! I was really pleased you thought they were hot, sensual and loving during their anniversary. I'm not surprised you too thought I should have written for that Castle Pornado, lol. Great you thought it was a fantastic update. You're welcome for sharing the first half! I'm really pleased you thought it was a great anniversary celebration for Castle and Beckett, for them to celebrate the passion and love they have for each other. And I definitely agree, they're soul mates. Really happy you think they're hot, sensual and loving. You're welcome for sharing the second half. And though it's late I really hope you and yours had a Happy Thanksgiving yourselves!) and

Emma (Really great that you're enjoying this story so much. I wasn't surprised you thought it was great news about the adoption of Alexis being final and her truly being Beckett's daughter as you put it. And I was really happy that you thought it was a beautiful and hot anniversary for Castle and Beckett. You're very welcome for the chapter!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _Driving Rain_ by Paul McCartney, from his album of the same name.

When We're Back Together Again

Crying out her husband's name as she clung to him, Beckett did her best to move as steadily as he was but soon lost that battle with her body. Thrusting wildly, she continued to do that until she was slowing down and then stopping though he was still going below her. At his last thrust she smiled and gently caressed the back of his head saying, "Should we stop?"

Castle didn't respond with words, he groaned heavily to her before he pulled back so he could look up at her. "Probably. There's something I forgot to tell you."

"Oh?" Beckett said, straightening his hair as she'd run her fingers through it while they'd been making love roughly after waking up.

"I got us some archery targets," Castle explained.

"Did you get us lessons or just the targets?" Beckett asked.

"Just the targets," Castle promised, smiling at her question. They kissed then and once they pulled away he said, "And would you like to walk into town or ride bikes?"

Thinking for a second Beckett said, "We should wait until we're ready to decide."

"Sure," Castle replied before he let her go as she was moving to get off him. After they'd parted he said, "Breakfast?"

"Think we might get something small?" Beckett asked him.

"That's what I was going to suggest," Castle told her as they got off the bed and then walked over to the bathroom. "I'll call."

Beckett smiled and pulled him into the shower before she turned on the water and they were wrapping their arms around one another. They were kissing and running their hands over each other for some time before they slowly parted and literally forced themselves to wash until they were stepping out. "When we're outside this room we need to calm down," she said to her husband as he was drying her off a little too slowly.

"Thank you for saying we at least," Castle said with a slight smirk on his face. He stood up straight and handed his wife her towel before he grabbed his though it wasn't in his hands for long. "Since you don't really have much control either," he commented though he couldn't help his voice shaking as she was rubbing over his skin.

"We didn't last night," Beckett said, smiling up at him.

"And we won't tonight," Castle said, smirking again.

"No we won't," Beckett said, standing up. She had finished, and they left the bathroom to get dressed and finish preparing for their day before he was calling for their meal. Since they just had scones with peppermint tea, they were soon sitting at the table, looking out at the river and the golf course. "Would you want to play at all?" she asked.

Castle smiled and squeezed her hand before saying, "That's alright, if we were with our family and friends I would try with them. I know you don't like it love."

"But I would-" Beckett began.

"It's alright," Castle said reassuringly. "We have archery."

"We do," Beckett replied with a smile before they turned their attention back to their scones. Once they finished, she looked outside and was about to tell her husband she wanted to walk before she felt him wrapping his arms behind her. She smiled and leaned back against him, sighing his name before he kissed her ear through her hair before he was murmuring gently to her though she wasn't surprised by what he said.

"You know we don't have to do anything again tonight?" Castle asked her.

"Oh I realized, but we're here alone," Beckett replied, turning around so she could face him. She brushed her lips against his cheek and said, "And it's a beautiful room." She then hesitated slightly and asked, "Mind if we stay on the bed though?"

"It's a beautiful bed," Castle commented. He wasn't surprised when she rolled her eyes and they shared a brief kiss before he said, "Bikes or walking?"

"We should walk," Beckett said, nodding towards the window so he could see the clouds that were beginning to gather.

"I agree," Castle said. "Do you mind if we hurry back after lunch?"

"No, I'm planning on getting all the shopping I want to do done before we head to whatever pub we pick," Beckett said as they let go of each other to get their light jackets. When they'd left the room and were in the elevator she said, "Is there anything specific you want to get?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "Just the bookstore."

"Of course," Beckett said teasingly to him before they walked into the lobby hand in hand. After greeting the concierge and the doorman she said to her husband, "There's something that surprised me," as they were a bit away from the manor.

"What?" Castle asked as he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her.

"You're not going to use this outing to try and look for that cottage, are you?" Beckett asked him.

"I thought about that and I was going to propose to you that we do that," Castle told her carefully as he watched her to see her reaction.

"We can now, but not for that long," Beckett replied.

Castle was about to ask her if she was serious, but he nodded and then said, "Alright, we need to look at the view of the manor since we could see it. And we were near some water," while he was looking around. They soon came to a dirt lane near the town and walked together down it before they stopped when he could see a house in the distance which made his wife grab his arm and immediately speak.

"The cottage isn't there anymore Rick," Beckett said. "We better go."

Nodding his head; as he had some instinct that she was right; Castle turned to her and took her hand saying, "I wanted to see it but now I'm here I'm kind of glad that we didn't."

"So am I," Beckett replied, smiling at him as she entwined their fingers. "Should we keep our attention on now?"

"Yeah," Castle said, not surprised she'd asked that. He squeezed her hand firmly and told her, "I love you."

"I love you too," Beckett replied before they made their way together over to the town again on the street from the manor. When she could see the first shops, she stopped her husband and said, "I forgot my camera."

"We have to go back to-" Castle began to say before he saw she was taking her camera from her bag. "Oh… wait you have it so how did you forget to take it out." When she glanced at him from a picture she was taking he couldn't help grinning and said, "You wanted to hold my hand. Don't deny it," he added when she gave him a look.

"Alright," Beckett said in slight annoyance though when he brushed his lips against her cheek she calmed down. "I'm going to be doing this on the way back."  
"And we can still hold hands," Castle commented. He laughed slightly when his wife pushed his shoulder slightly but then started to walk with her again, placing his hand on her back before they made their way to the bookstore they always visited when they were at the manor.

Splitting up once they were inside, Beckett went over to the children's books and started looking for Eliza. When she had picked out a book, she turned to find one for Julia which took a little more time. And she was still in the Young Adult books when her husband walked over to her, three books under his arm. "For you?" she asked with a smile.

"No, this one I thought you might like," Castle said, showing her the book.

Reading the summary, Beckett smiled and handed it back to him before she told him, "And yours?"

"Crime but the person at the register said they're local writers," Castle replied, looking at the book he had on top. "By local I mean the west coast of Ireland."

Beckett nodded and said, "I'll take a look at them after you."

"Who are you looking for? Julia?" Castle asked as he took the book she had in her hand and realized he had no idea what section they were in.

"Yes, I think I have one," Beckett said slowly, taking a book off the shelf. "I don't want it to be part of a series," she told her husband as he had taken the book to look at it.

"Good choice though," Castle said as he'd read it was about a young girl in Cobh in the 1920s. "What're the odds," he commented while he put the book with the others. "Josie?"

Beckett smiled and said, "You can pick that one."

"Sure," Castle replied before he went to the picture books. He managed to find one for the baby in a display of books about the area near the front of the store, seeing it was of pictures of different landmarks with animals native to the country. "Okay," he told his wife to let her know he was ready to go.

"I'll… pay," Beckett started to say when he went over to the register. She shook her head but followed him, going to the front and looking at the books there until he was walking up to her.

"Where did you want to go next?" Castle asked his wife.

"Let me take the umbrella at least," Beckett said in amusement. "You're juggling everything with that."

"Thanks," Castle said, giving it to her. He smiled and said, "But where did you want to go next?"

"Whatever we get to next," Beckett said before they stepped outside. She took his hand with her free one once they were walking and she kept an eye on the shops they passed. It didn't take her long before she tugged her husband's hand and she told him, "Something for Alexis."

"You're getting something for her?" Castle asked in surprise as he looked at the name of the boutique before they went inside.

"Yes, she was telling me she needed a new coat for the fall," Beckett said simply. She then went over to the coats she'd been able to see from the front window and went through the different patterns. Stopping at one she checked the size and then turned her attention to her husband.

"It's nice," Castle replied, still surprised.

"It's not the first time I've done this," Beckett said simply.

Castle nodded as she was putting the coat over her arm and he followed her to the front of the store, glancing around one more time before he realized the items were not really what his wife would wear. He allowed her to pay that time before they were leaving, and he said, "What about you?"

"Me?" Beckett asked as they were walking down the sidewalk again. She realized quickly what he was talking about and she said, "If I see anything I'll stop but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to get some coats for Julia and Eliza too."

"What about Josie?" Castle asked.

"I knew you were going to ask," Beckett replied with a smile. "And we'll see what we find at that kids' boutique."

Since they had arrived at the store, Castle followed his wife inside again and he let her choose the green, white and plaid coat for Eliza before he asked, "What if we're in LA most of our fall?"

"I know, but she really needs one," Beckett replied. "She's grown out of the one she has now."

Nodding his head, as he recalled that she was right, Castle followed her to the baby clothes in the store and was slightly startled to see her go to the dresses there were for girls. "Thanksgiving?" he asked her as she picked out one that was a rich, dark blue.

"Christmas, this kind of dress?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Just checking," Castle replied. "It's beautiful."

Beckett cupped her husband's cheek and she started to go to pay for the items before her husband was taking them and she smiled, watching him go until she went around the biggest size the store had. She was slightly disappointed seeing it was too small for Julia, but she was distracted when her husband walked up to her. "Hey," she said with a smile, startled when he placed his hand on her back.

"I saw," Castle said, nodding to the shirt she had in her hands. "But the store next door she'll be able to get stuff in for a while."

"You mean I will," Beckett replied, smiling at him figuring out what she'd been thinking. When he nodded, she squeezed his hand before they went together to the next store and she started to look for Julia's coat, finding it swiftly and looking for her husband who she found at the shoes that were available for young women. She cleared her throat, smiling again when he jumped, and she was about to ask him what he thought of her choice when he was holding up a shoe for her to see.

"If we're going to be in Hollywood there'll be parties," Castle commented.

"Put it down," Beckett said, rolling her eyes as he was turning the glittery black shoe back and forth. "She doesn't need those. What about this?"

"It's very blue," Castle said first since he was taking the coat. He then said, "You do realize the cut is a lot like your red one."

"I know, it's why I chose it," Beckett replied. She then said, "If she were here she would pick it."

"I agree," Castle said, following her to the front of the store. He let her pay and tried to remember what store would be next but was having a hard time recalling. So he waited until they were leaving together to look ahead, glancing at Beckett once he'd been able to see what was there.

"I see you Rick, and I'm not sure," Beckett replied.

"Just stop in the window," Castle said as it was one of the two women's boutiques.

Glancing around, Beckett sighed and led the way into the store, heading to some blouses. She studied them; glancing to find her husband at the armchairs in the front; before she picked out one and went to some trousers she decided she needed. After she had grabbed her size she went into the dressing rooms, changing into what she was hoping would be an outfit. Looking at herself in the mirror, she breathed out and changed back into her clothes before she went straight to the registers to pay while her husband was reading one of his books.

At one point Castle looked up and was startled to find that his wife was walking up to him with a bag in hand. "You got something already?" he asked as he jumped up from his chair.

"I did," Beckett replied with a smile. "I'll show you later but it's not a dress."

"I don't think I really care," Castle said nonchalantly. "I still want to see it on you."

"I knew," Beckett said simply. "Come on," she said as he tensed slightly. "Something for you."

"But I-" Castle started to say before she was pulling him outside. He couldn't really say anything as they were walking through the people on the sidewalk and were soon stopping at the end of the street at the men's shop. "I really don't think I need anything," he told his wife when they stepped just inside.

"I'm sure you can find something. I did," Beckett replied easily. She smiled hearing her husband's sigh and said, "I'll wait here."

Castle was about to speak again but stopped himself before he nodded and then walked through the store, soon finding a sweater that he paid for himself. "Kate," he called as he walked over to her.

"You don't need to try anything on?" Beckett asked him teasingly.

"I'm good," Castle replied easily. "Should I try it on for you later?"

"If you want, but I did see it," Beckett commented. She squeezed his hand and then went with him back out on the street saying, "Should we stop for lunch now?"

Checking his watch, Castle nodded and said, "We've been shopping long enough." He realized what he'd just said and asked her, "What about you?"

"I've done enough," Beckett said easily. They were walking to a pub then; different from the two they'd visited so far in the town; and she paused when she saw the window of the store they were passing.

"After lunch?" Castle asked, following her eye.

"Yeah," Beckett said, smiling at him and taking his hand. They continued the rest of the way and sitting inside in a booth towards the back corner she said, "What're you thinking?" as they weren't bothering to look at their menus.

Castle, smiling at her, then said, "I'm just wondering if this was enough."

Though she'd wanted to answer Beckett had to wait as they were ordering their drinks and food before they were left alone again. "It was, I didn't want to spend hours shopping. And what we've gotten so far is enough to fit in our suitcases."

"You mean mine," Castle commented.

"Yours," Beckett agreed, nodding to him. She then smiled and said, "But we're just getting something for Josie at the toy store; a game at the very least for the rest of the girls if we find it."

"Of course," Castle said, nodding before he smiled. He took her hand and said, "We have the archery target for twenty minutes and that leaves the rest of the day."

"Swimming," Beckett said swiftly.

"I'm not surprised," Castle said. "But we need to call them before I'm guessing?"

Beckett couldn't reply, as their drinks were being brought to them, but she soon said, "Our reservations are at six?" When he nodded she then told him, "If we call them at three they'll have more time to talk. So we should take the tablet with us."

"I agree," Castle had to say rapidly as the waitress was coming with their plates. "Looks good," he told her, studying her food.

"It does," Beckett said as she'd gotten the bangers and mash dish and he'd opted for the fish and chips. She smiled when he held a fry up to her lips and she took it, eating it before turning her attention to her meal. They were quiet while they ate, and she glanced around the pub before she felt her husband touch her arm. She realized she hadn't given him some of her sausage and cut off a piece and brought up their discussion about the next day though they were going to be leaving for Cork and Dublin after that.

"You don't still feel bad about needing to stay overnight?" Castle asked her.

"Oh no," Beckett said, setting her napkin on top of the table since she'd finished. "I just want to reiterate that we're not getting them anything from there."

"What about us?" Castle asked, handing the waitress his card to pay for the meal.

"I know we're going to Grafton Street," Beckett told him. "But I would beg you to limit it to one book."

"I'll try my best," Castle replied, getting his card back and starting to get up with her. They went out to the street and he took her hand again before they walked back to the toy store to see what they could find for their daughters.

* * *

"We're not making this a competition, are we?" Beckett said to her husband as she tested the bow she'd gotten in her hand.

"Not unless you want to," Castle replied easily, aiming his bow though he didn't have an arrow in it yet.

"I'll pass," Beckett said with a slight smile. "Go first?" she asked him.

"Oh no, ladies first," Castle commented before she was glancing at him while she got an arrow. "Sure we shouldn't make some bets?"

"I'm sure," Beckett said, shaking her head. She fired her first arrow and watched it hit the yellow inner ring and she smiled before getting the other nine she had with her.

"Nice," Castle said, watching her grouping. "Regretting not betting anything?"

"Rick," Beckett said simply. She moved out of his way, watching him notch his first arrow before he was firing off all of them swiftly. "You're regretting," she said teasingly as he was studying his attempt. When he suddenly reached for her she didn't have much time to react, laughing as he was kissing her neck and jaw before she made him stop. She was about to say she was ready to give in and bet something when he was leaning his forehead against hers and murmuring against her lips.

"I'll stop talking about that now," Castle said. He felt his wife's lips quirk into a smile and he pulled back to look at her asking, "What?"

"I was actually going to say we could," Beckett said, biting her lower lip for a moment to keep from laughing at the way his eyes widened. "Just nothing… ridiculous."

"I wasn't going to suggest," Castle replied quickly and slightly earnestly.

"What's first?" Beckett asked as she wanted to get them back to the archery before they ran out of time.

Studying the target, Castle then said, "We take turns and whoever gets the highest score… no wait." Shaking his head, he then said, "Whoever gets the highest score gets pleasured first tonight."

"And you assume I wanted that?" Beckett asked archly. But when her husband just stared at her she rolled her eyes and then said, "Fine."

"If you don't want to, we don't need to," Castle said.

Beckett shook her head and went with him to the target to get their arrows, standing back where the boxes were for them. She aimed first and shot her arrows again before she stepped aside for her husband. When he finished, she couldn't help laughing as their scores were even and she said, "One shot?"

"Yeah," Castle replied as they were walking to the target again. When they had their arrows back, he watched her fire her arrow before he went next. "I didn't want to do that," he commented as he just managed to get closer to the bullseye than her.

"No but you did," Beckett said with a smirk.

"You're that happy I won?" Castle asked. When his wife just smiled at him and went to the target, he suppressed his shudder the best he could before he took his arrow she'd given him. "Keep going?" he asked.

"You reserved this for us," Beckett pointed out to him with a smile. She turned her attention to the target again and they began to shoot, retrieve their arrows and then start over again until unexpectedly she felt something hitting her head. "It's-" she started to say as they were looking up together to the rain that was suddenly pouring down. They looked at each other and then started to run to grab their arrows. When they finished, she was standing under their umbrella while her husband was trying to get the target when she noticed the man who'd set it up for them running out with Wellingtons on.

"Go on in sir, I'll take this in," the man said to Castle.

"Rick," Beckett called to her husband as she walked over to him.

Once he'd reached her, Castle took the umbrella so they'd both fit under it and they hurried around to the entrance, standing under the covered part of the patio. He shook out the umbrella before they were walking inside, drying their feet and going over the long rug that had been placed over the carpet already there. When they were back in their room he said, "At least it was for most of the twenty minutes."

Beckett smiled at him and said, "It was but I didn't mind the rain."

"Neither did I," Castle said as they went into the bathroom to start taking off their clothes. He dried himself off once he had everything off and once he was dry he went back out into the room to get his trunks on. "I'm going to have to leave these," he said to his wife as she walked out wrapped up in her towel.

"Could you see alright with them on?" Beckett asked as he'd been talking about his glasses.

"I could. I think it's gotten to the point where I need them all the time," Castle said.

"Good," Beckett said simply as she took off her towel. She wasn't surprised when her husband stared at her while she dressed in her bikini and as she got her sundress she said, "We can go now," to shake him which she was lucky to do as he went to grab their towels. When he came back out, she grabbed her bag for the pool and once they'd both checked her tablet was in there they left to go straight down to it, wondering if they'd have the chance to be alone again while they swam.

Castle was a little disappointed when he saw a couple already there on two lounge chairs, but he shook that off before he went into the changing room. He watched his wife head into the women's room and forced himself to continue in the hopes the two would be gone when they got out. Since he was ready first he was the first to discover they were still there, and he groaned inwardly when the woman glanced at him with a smile, trying to continue to the last chair left to leave his towel.

When Beckett stepped out, she wasn't surprised to find her husband was inside the pool or that he was under the water while the woman was holding onto the deep end of the pool. She set her towel with Castle's and then went into the water, gliding over to him when he resurfaced in the middle of the pool. "Hey," she said with a smile.

"Hey," Castle said with a slight frown. " _She_ -" he started to say in Irish.

" _Don't worry_ ," Beckett replied, squeezing his arm. She tugged it gently so they could swim over to the shallower end and then said, " _Who's he_?"

" _Boyfriend_ ," Castle replied. " _But she knows who we are. She was flirting though, so I decided the best thing to do was duck myself under the water to make it stop_."

Beckett couldn't help laughing and she leaned over, kissing him gently before they heard water being displaced. She looked with him to see the woman climbing out at the deep end and she went to the man on the chair, the two talking together in another language. They soon left, and she glanced at her husband, seeing he was studying her which made her smile before he was beginning to question her.

"Russian?" Castle asked her.

Nodding Beckett said, "She wasn't very happy about that kiss."

"Why?" Castle asked hesitantly.

"Because she wanted to talk to you and have nothing to do with me," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised when her husband studied her at her slightly nonchalant tone and said, "I don't know if she would have done anything more than flirting with him here."

"And that doesn't bother you?" Castle asked.

"Not really," Beckett said in amusement. She wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders telling him, "She didn't have a chance."

"No," Castle replied, pulling her closer as he had embraced her tightly. They kissed but it was brief and they began to swim around the pool together, racing at first playfully before they began to do laps. When he stopped, he checked the time and said, "Kate it's almost three thirty."

Beckett ducked under the water; since she was at the deep end; and swam over to him before she said, "Good thing they left."  
"And no one else came in," Castle said in amusement.

"I was thinking the same," Beckett said, squeezing his hand before they hurried to dry themselves off. When she was dry enough she picked up her phone and texted her father, not surprised when he answered back immediately. "They're ready," she told her husband as he was watching her. She sat with him on their chair and let him open her tablet, watching the Skype app before their two middle daughters appeared on the screen. "Girls?" she asked as they were looking to the side.

"Sorry, Grandpapa's bringing Josa over," Julia said first.

"Before that hello girls," Beckett told the two. "Where's your big sister?"

"They went to lunch by themselves," Julia replied.

"We didn't see them yet," Eliza added while her sister was taking the baby.

"Hi Dad," Beckett said to her father.

"Hey, how're things going?" Jim asked once he was sure Julia had a good hold of her sister.

"Good, raining but we're at the pool," Castle said. "But we want to hear about your day."

"We went riding!" Eliza said eagerly, laughing with the others as Josa made a short sound immediately after that. "I went on a pony."  
"We didn't really show Josie any horses Kate," Martha said. She smiled when her daughter in law and son greeted her and she said, "Hello you two. And we're not as comfortable around them as you are."

"It's alright," Beckett assured her.

"She'll have more chances to spend time with horses," Castle added.

"Of course," Martha said slightly laughingly.

"What did you do after you left the stables?" Beckett asked the girls.

"We came home and went swimming at the pool," Julia said. She noticed her mother was frowning and she said, "What's wrong?"

"You didn't go to the beach today?" Beckett asked.

"Oh, no we wanted to stay here since we can go with Josa a little," Julia replied.

"They're swimming in front of their sister," Jim hurriedly explained. "She probably can't see them, but she was smiling."

"She heard us," Eliza said firmly.

"Probably," Beckett said, smiling. "And after that."

"We made art," Eliza said.

"Was that supposed to be a surprise?" Castle asked when Julia's head turned quickly to her sister.

"Yeah, but at least we can surprise you with what they're of," Julia said.

"I'm not gonna say," Eliza protested though she was soon smiling widely at her sister.

"We'll look forward to that," Castle said. "And that's it?"

"Some games after dinner," Julia said, shrugging. "It was like we always do, just you guys weren't here."

"We're starting back tomorrow," Beckett promised.

"Did you do anything today?" Eliza asked.

Beckett smiled at her husband and then told them about what they'd done in the town though she didn't mention anything about what they bought. It didn't take her long to talk about their time playing archery as it was easy to describe, and she made sure to leave out their bet. "But we did miss you guys," she finished with, talking about being at the pool.

"Why don't you play a game?" Eliza asked.

Castle couldn't help laughing at how earnest their daughter was and he said, "We might do that but there's just the two of us so-"

"Marco Polo!" Julia and Eliza said as the same time.

Laughing Beckett shook her head and said, "Maybe something else."

"Okay," Eliza said eagerly. "Go play now."

"I think they want to play now," Castle told his wife.

"I think so," Beckett said, smiling at them. "Martha, Dad?"

"We're here," Castle's mother said, just barely appearing on the screen behind the girls.

"We'll call tomorrow but we're not sure when," Castle said first. "We'll be in Dublin though; probably later in the afternoon for us."

"Hopefully after lunch for you guys," Beckett was quick to add.

"We'll be ready to talk," Jim assured the two. "Have a safe flight."

"Thank you, love you Dad," Beckett said.

"I love you too Katie," Jim said.

"And enjoy your time in Dublin; as short as it is," Martha said.

"We will, bye Mother," Castle told her. When she had said the same back to them; as his wife had said goodbye to her as well; he turned his attention to the girls and said, "And we're waiting to get back to you."

"We know, but not yet," Eliza said first. She smiled when her father laughed and then said, "Love you Daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart," Castle said. "And I love you Julia."

"Love you Dad," the girl said. "Have fun."

"We will," Beckett said. "I love you Julia, Eliza. And tell Alexis and Josie your dad and I love them too."

"Love you Mom, we'll see you tomorrow," the girls said almost at the same time.

After they'd said goodbye to their family, Castle disconnected and said, "So…"

"What exactly are we going to play that isn't overly sexual?" Beckett pointed out to him as she stood up and took off her towel.

"Well, we might-" Castle began to say before he watched his wife dive into the deep end. He watched her swim to the shallow end and breathed out deeply before she resurfaced and jumped in himself, swimming over to her before he wrapped his arms around her.

"Wait," Beckett said immediately, placing her hands on his chest. "We can't really do that here." She smiled slightly at his groan of frustration and said, "I know, but we have our room to do that in."

"Look, I know you said Marco Polo wasn't really an option but…" Castle started to say after he'd paused for a moment.

Beckett thought for a moment before she sighed and said, "Alright but not for that long." She wasn't surprised when he looked at her questioningly and she said with a smile, "We'll swim laps more."

Nodding Castle kissed her briefly on the lips before he said, "Which of us?"

"I'm first," Beckett said. She then closed her eyes and started to count to ten before she called out, "Marco." Hearing her husband's Polo, she turned and then walked over to where he was before she called out again and swam to the deeper end.

They played that game before they soon stopped as Castle realized he wasn't letting her get him. "I guess that's better when the girls are directing us," he told her as he swam up to her.

"Directing? More shoving," Beckett said with a slight laugh. She then sighed and said, "I miss them… especially Josie."

"Me too," Castle said, going to her and kissing her temple. "Want some tea?"

"Sure," Beckett said. She went over to their chair and grabbed her towel again before drying herself off while he went to get the tea. She went to the window looking outside and saw that the rain was still coming down and the golf course was empty. Her eye was then caught by the river and she was studying it for so long that her husband's call of her name nearly startled her.

"Hey, change of drink," Castle said, holding up the mugs he had in hand. "I got us some cocoa."

"That's fine," Beckett replied. "We're not having dessert, right?"

"No," Castle said. "You don't want any?"

"Yesterday was enough," Beckett assured him before they sat on their chairs; her husband having taken the one next to her. "This is really good," she said, taking a sip.

"I was advised to try it," Castle said. When his wife looked at him he said, "Someone met me just outside the room. I waited for them to bring me the mugs; it was a guy."

Shaking her head Beckett said with a smile, "I wasn't asking their gender."

"But you wonder; I went out without a shirt," Castle pointed out to her.

"And I figured you wouldn't have gone that far," Beckett replied.

"You know me too well," Castle said. When she merely smiled before sipping her drink he sighed and then looked outside. "The river isn't flooded is it?" he asked.

Beckett was slightly startled at the question; since he'd been quiet; and she said, "No. If you're wondering why I was looking at it, I just thought it was tranquil to watch."

"The calm after yesterday?" Castle commented.

Beckett laughed softly and then said, "I guess."

Studying her Castle asked, "What's on your mind?"

"I know I said I wanted to concentrate on now," Beckett said. "But I can't help remember that. But it's only that one memory we've both seen."

"I think it's what we remember most of that… or we did when we got older back then," Castle said. When his wife slightly nodded in agreement he smiled at her and said, "Keep swimming after this?"

"Actually, I'll stay here," Beckett said, finishing her cocoa and setting the mug on the table next to her. She lay back and watched her husband getting up, looking on as he dove into the water before he resurfaced and then began to swim back and forth. She wasn't sure how long it took her, but she was falling asleep, the sound of Castle moving the water and the rain lulling her more than she thought it would.

When Castle stopped and stood in the shallow end, he was about to call to his wife to ask her to join him when he saw that she was sleeping. He smiled and then got out of the pool, grabbing his towel carefully so he wouldn't get her wet and wake her up. "Go back to sleep," he quickly told his wife when she opened her eyes suddenly.

"I didn't want to sleep," Beckett said with a slight frown, sitting up as she spoke. "How long have I been sleeping?" she asked him.

"I'm not sure," Castle said, sitting next to her. "I stopped swimming and you were out."

Beckett smiled and said, "And you were just going to let me sleep?"

"Yeah," Castle said, surprised she was asking that. "After yesterday I figured you could use some rest."

"Well, a cat nap is enough," Beckett said, making him get out of her way so she could get off the chair. She smiled at him and said, "Go up to our room?"

"Sure," Castle replied as they'd been there at the pool for a couple hours by then. "How long do you need to get ready?"  
Taking her husband's arm and checking the time, Beckett said, "At the very least twenty minutes."

"That quickly?" Castle asked in surprise.

Smiling Beckett told him, "We're going to take a bath, aren't we?"

Castle nodded, as she was starting to walk to the changing rooms and he hurried to catch up with her. "I'm guessing that we'll be taking a longer one?" he asked.

"If you'd like," Beckett said simply. She walked into the women's changing room, glancing at her husband over her shoulder, and smiled to herself at his jaw visibly working in reaction to her comment. Her thoughts turned from him to their children as she grabbed her sundress and bag in the closet she'd gotten. She couldn't help thinking their conversation had been brief again and hoped the girls were having fun without them. Slipping her tablet into her bag once she was dressed, she walked out to where Castle was waiting for her, taking his hand before they made their way back up to their room.

* * *

"Grandpapa," Julia said after he had turned off her tablet when they'd finished speaking to Castle and Beckett. "Josa's moving around."

"She's starting to fuss," Jim said. "Just walk around and see if she calms down."

Doing so, Julia gently bounced her sister though she was careful not to do that too hard as it hadn't been too long since she'd had a bottle. She watched her baby sister closely before she heard Eliza squealing, "'lexis!" and looked up to see that their big sister and Louis were walking through the gate.

"Hey, are we late?" Alexis asked.

"We just finished talking to them," Martha said. "But I'm sure you could call your father-"

"That's alright," Alexis quickly said. "I'm sure they're doing something right now… swimming?"

"They are," Julia said, walking over to her and glad Josie had calmed down by then.

"Let me have her," Alexis said, taking the baby. She kissed her temple and then said, "How are they?"

"Happy," Eliza said quickly.

"They went into town and then they played archery again," Julia said in more detail as she knew what their big sister was wondering. She was going to say one of her suspicions after she'd seen their parents but hesitated before Alexis smiled at her and guessed instead.

"You think they brought you stuff while they went into town?" the young woman asked her.

"And you," Julia said quickly. She couldn't help laughing softly when her big sister looked surprised and then explained what she'd thought telling her, "Mom wouldn't leave you out."

"You're sure it's from her?" Alexis asked, sitting on one of the lounge chairs.

"Of course," Julia said in a matter of fact tone. She frowned slightly and asked, "You'll accept it right? She's trying to be nice." A smile then spread across her lips and she told her, "And you're one of us kids."

"A kid huh?" Alexis said wryly.

"Yeah," Eliza said, almost bouncing over and wrapping her arms around her neck. "But you have your own house."

"Oh, thank you for that," Alexis said with a laugh. "Watch out, Josa fell asleep and I want to go swimming with you guys," she told her sisters. Once they were out of the way she stood and then told Julia, "I'll accept whatever she got me. But you do know it's from Ma and Dad both."

"Of course," the girl said easily. Julia smiled again at her sister and said, "But good you will."

Alexis smiled at her sister; since it was all she could do; and went to Josie's carrier and set the baby down there before she staggered a little to the side. "Wait," she said with a laugh to Eliza who'd embraced her after running to her. "I have to buckle Josa," she explained. After she had done that she picked her sister up and said, "Can you wait for me in the pool?" She was relieved when her little sister nodded her head and she shared a kiss with her before setting her down and looking at her grandparents with wide eyes.

"Too much?" Jim asked with a smile.

"No, it's just they're so exuberant," Alexis said. She then squeezed her grandmother's shoulder and said, "It runs in the family."

"It does," Martha replied with a slight laugh. "But what's really on your mind kiddo?"

Glancing at the pool; where her boyfriend was with her sisters in the water already; Alexis turned back to her grandmother and said, "Do you think she would have done that?"

"Gotten something for you herself?" Jim asked. When she nodded, he told the young woman, "She would have, she's your mother so you won't see any different treatment between you and your sisters." He studied her expression; able to tell she was thinking that over; and he said, "Is that a problem?"

"No, just… I wasn't expecting that," Alexis said honestly. "And it wasn't necessary."

"That's how Katie is," Jim commented. He smiled when the two women looked at him and said, "She wouldn't leave you out."

"It's still nice of her," Alexis replied. She then said, "We were debating staying the night tomorrow but… we'll come over before they get back. And we'll bring lunch."

"They'll appreciate that," Martha said with a smile, watching her go over to the pool after hugging them both. When they were on their own she said to Beckett's father, "Have you gotten used to this either?"

"Slightly," Jim replied, smiling slightly. "You?"

"The same, but it's better things are more… finalized now," Martha said. They looked at their daughters and said, "Though I wonder at the gifts."

"Doesn't your son do that a lot?" Jim asked.

"True but if your daughter's getting the one for Alexis then I imagine they're necessary," Martha said. "Or books."

Jim laughed and then said, "That would be a necessity though." When Castle's mother shrugged, as she was smiling, he said, "But at least they're relaxing."

"You don't think they will once we're in LA?" Martha said in slight surprise.

"It depends on what Julia's going to be doing," Jim explained, not surprised when she nodded in agreement quickly. He smiled and then looked over at the pool where the three sisters were playing with Eliza's bouncy ball, hitting it back and forth with Louis.

"Ah! Too far," the young man said with a laugh as he watched the ball go past himself and Julia. He swam over to it and when he came back to the sisters asked, "Are we finished then?" since Eliza was on Alexis' back.

"I think we're taking a break," the young woman replied. "She's getting a little tired." Alexis then felt Eliza pushing her nose against her hair and asked, "What is it Lizzy?"

"You think Mommy and Daddy got to play volleyball too?" the little girl asked.

"I don't think so, where could they get the volleyball?" Julia said first.

"I'm sure they just went swimming," Alexis said. "Let's get Josa now."

"Oh yeah, we brought her already," Julia said. "Think they'll let us bring her in again?"

"Go ahead and ask them," Alexis said.

Swimming over to the steps, Julia waited for her little sister to reach her and they went out of the water to ask their grandparents if they could bring Josie to the water again. She smiled when Jim stood to get the baby out of her carrier though she couldn't help wishing their parents were there to join them as she knew they would have enjoyed it. But as she slid into the water with Eliza ahead of their baby sister, she knew they'd see them soon and have the chance to swim together with them all there at home. She turned her attention to Josie after shaking herself of her thoughts so she could spend time enjoying the pool with her family for the rest of the afternoon.


	40. When We're Back Together Again (Part 2)

Stepping into the tub, Beckett smiled at her husband saying, " _Ag baint taineamh as sin_?"

"And what would I enjoy?" Castle said, speaking in English to her question of if he was enjoying that. When she nudged him behind her, he laughed and said, "Yes I did. But you can't really blame me." He wrapped his arms around her and then said, "I've enjoyed this you know."

"Even though the trip was so short?" Beckett asked. When he nodded, his face pressed against her hair she could feel, she smiled and looked back at him saying, " _Amach leis_ ," not surprised he made a brief face when she told him the phrase out with it.

"I love you," Castle told his wife.

"I love you too," Beckett replied before she felt him lean down to kiss her shoulder. "What is it?"

"Do you think we can come back here next year?" Castle asked.

"We should," Beckett said, about to speak before she hesitated. "We'd need to cut the vacations short, but I'd prefer that because I get the feeling we might do some more extensive traveling."

"Are we going to talk about that now?" Castle said.

"Talk, yes," Beckett told him. "But don't decide yet."

"So suggestions," Castle replied. When she nodded he breathed out heavily and said, "Josie's only going to be fourteen months."

"We'd still take her," Beckett was quick to remind him.

"True," Castle said, kissing the side of her head before asking, "What do you think about going to Spain?"

"Just there?" Beckett replied with a smile. Feeling him nodding again she said, "Alright… but we'd need to be careful with weather."

"Madrid first and then south before we circle up to the north," Castle said. He smiled at his wife when she turned around to him and said, "Yes I've been researching."

Shaking her head, Beckett leaned over and shared a tender kiss with him before they parted, and she said, "We'll see. But we can broach the idea to the other families; see if they want to go."

Castle nodded and then reached for his wife, kissing her gently before he felt her moving and she was soon straddling him. They kissed a second time and when her hand cupped the back of his head he pulled away and said, "We're bathing?" At her nod he reached around her for the showerhead attachment and turned it on before he ran it over her hair. When it was fully wet he let her do the same with his hair and they were kissing again while he was trying his best to turn off the water. Once he'd managed it, he pulled her tightly against his body, running his free hand over her back before she stopped him.

"We have tonight," Beckett said as she saw he was looking at her questioningly.

"Nothing now?" Castle asked, unable to help the disappointment in his voice.

"I didn't say that did I?" Beckett said simply.

Castle wanted to speak but decided he didn't have to and he instead kissed her deeply though it didn't last for very long. When they parted he took the bottle of shampoo she handed him, and he got some on his hands, waiting for her to turn around to look away from him. "Is it still raining?" he asked her, lathering her hair.

"It is," Beckett said. "Your knee wasn't lying. But how is it now?"

"I'm fine," Castle assured her. He then rinsed off his hands and was doing the same to her hair before he washed it with her conditioner. He was highly tempted to go to her and then do something with her when she stopped him. "Come on," he told her.

Beckett shook her head and began to rinse his hair before she washed it quickly. As soon as she had finished she was kissing her husband, their arms wrapped around each other. She wasn't sure how long it took them to stop but once they did they were breathing hard and her lips were swollen. "Did you want to still fool around?" she asked.

"Why don't we wait?" Castle asked.

"Sure," Beckett said with a smile before she leaned over and kissed him. They were holding onto each other tightly as they proceeded to kiss for some time and didn't stop until she realized the water was becoming tepid. "Rick, we need to stop," she told him as she pulled away from him and was going to move when he stopped her.

Castle wanted to protest but he reached for his watch on the table that he'd pulled over to the side of the tub. Checking the time, he groaned and said, "Alright. But you owe me." He laughed when she pinched his side and he let her go to follow her out of the water. When they were dried he asked, "I'm assuming you're taking the bathroom?"

"Yes, but let me know when you need your comb," Beckett said.

"I'll take it now," Castle assured her before he was leaving her once they were both dry. He turned in the doorway, since he knew she was following him, and they kissed tenderly before he forced himself away and she closed the door behind him. He focused everything on getting dressed before he was ready and turning the armchair at the windows around. He glanced at the bed; that he was across the room from; and sat down, placing his arms on the sill and watching the rain fall.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Beckett smiled at the sight of her husband staring outside and she walked over to him quietly before she stopped next to him.

"Were you trying to scare me?" Castle asked her with a smile as he was able to notice her quickly.

"No, I didn't want to disturb you," Beckett replied. "Stand up."

Castle did so before he waited for her to straighten his tie and said, "Okay?"

"Yeah," Beckett said. She was about to speak when he suddenly stopped her, holding her by her waist and making her look up at him questioningly.

"Why are you so short?" Castle asked her as he was able to tell that she wasn't as tall as she had been the night before.

Laughing Beckett stepped back and took his hand before she pulled him over to the couch and said, "I thought you might want to do this."

"I do," Castle said simply as he knelt in front of her and then looked up at her.

"There's a reason why I'm wearing these heels," Beckett said firmly. She was relieved when her husband nodded, and he helped her slip on her heels that matched her dark blue lace dress. "Ready?" she asked as he stood.

Knowing she was really asking if he was okay, Castle nodded and shared a quick kiss with her before they parted and went to get her shawl and umbrella. "Here," he told her, holding the shawl to help her put it on. He wasn't surprised when she let him do that before she waited for him to pick up her umbrella and they left to head down to The Oak Room. At their table he stopped the host from helping Beckett into her chair and did it himself before he sat next to her and they looked out the window they were next to at the rain that was still coming down. Since they had said what choices they wanted for the five-course meal they were soon left alone with their drinks. After their first sips of their cider he was about to ask her about their plans for after dinner when she stopped him, placing her hand on his arm and anticipating his question he realized when she started to speak.

"I still want to go outside," Beckett told him. "Unless it's raining harder than this by the time we finish."

Nodding, to let her know that he agreed with the idea, Castle said, "Is there anywhere you wanted to go specifically? Or just walk around?"

"Walk around," Beckett said. "I was going to say go into the brace of trees we've gone to before but… I don't want to get too far from the manor."

Castle was going to react to that, but their waiter was coming over with the first course, letting them know it was _velouté_ of leek. He smiled at his wife when they were alone again and said, "They changed the menu too."

"It looks nice," Beckett told him though the portions were small. When he looked at her in slight confusion she then said, "We can have popcorn in our room."

"So you don't want to be outside for that long," Castle stated. When she nodded, he smiled and asked, "How is it?"

"Good, though I'm not the biggest fan of mussels," Beckett said as there were some of them in the bowl.

"At least they're local," Castle commented since the waiter had said they were from Galway.

"Not that local," Beckett said wryly. When they had finished the dish she said, "You said five courses?"

"Yeah, is that going to take too long?" Castle asked, watching her.

Smiling, Beckett shook her head and then told him, "We forgot a few things."

"I know," Castle said. When she looked at him questioningly with one eyebrow raised he smiled and said, "Gifts for our parents. And I'm assuming Louis too."

"We should get them something in Dublin," Beckett said.

"We kind of need to," Castle replied before he laughed as quietly as he could when she pinched his arm lightly. "But we have time. So books for your dad and Louis and I hope you'll pick something out for Mother," he stated though he could see the waiter was coming back with their second course and they had to pause their conversation as they were given the plates with mackerel on them.

"We have a little more than a week until the announcement," Castle said. "What're we doing?"

"I think we should leave things open," Beckett said. "Go around downtown one day, swim at the pool and beach."

"We'll have the chance to swim at their pool," Castle pointed out to her.

"True but they'll still want to use ours," Beckett said.

"What?" Castle asked as he saw the slight smile on her face as they were finishing their dish.

"Skye told me to tell you that they built a slide into their pool," Beckett said.

"When did they do that?" Castle asked in surprise.

"While they were over in the Hamptons," Beckett replied. She waited for their plates to be taken away by their waiter before she said, "And it was finished when we got to DC."

"And they've kept it secret until now?" Castle asked in surprise.

"They have," Beckett replied. "They've already been using it and Skye said the kids all love it. But I would like to surprise our girls."

Nodding Castle said, "Good idea, should be a nice incentive to do their homework." He wasn't surprised when she smiled, and he said, "Are you ready to teach?"

"Of course," Beckett said quickly as their third course was brought out to them. Studying the sea bass, she said, "It's presented really well. I should have taken pictures for Lily."

Laughing softly Castle said, "I know but you can describe it to her," taking his first bite of the fish. "And let her know it's got a little spice to it. Thai spices." When she nodded, he turned his attention back to his food and they ate that course in silence as they were looking outside again. While they waited for the fourth course, he took her hand and was about to speak when she was quick to interrupt him, though he wasn't very surprised by what she told him.

"Do you want to discuss Spring Break next?" Beckett asked him.

"You know me too well," Castle said as his wife just smiled at him. "But is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

Beckett was quiet, as their fourth course was being set before them and the waiter was telling them it was their choice of rump of Dexter beef, watching her husband closely.

"What?" Castle said, wondering at the expression on her face.

"I expected some kind of comment about this," Beckett said, indicating the beef. When he merely smiled at her and raised and lowered his eyebrows she laughed softly before she turned her attention to her food. As they ate, she looked outside again and told her husband, "We might have a chance to go out."

"It looks like it," Castle said as he'd noticed the rain had eased up as well. He then said, "How is it?"

"I'm sure I would have complained," Beckett said. "And I should point out to you that you said there was no dessert."

"They must have added that," Castle replied. "Maybe it's in season."

"Maybe," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "But about Spring Break…" When her husband nodded, she smiled briefly and then said, "I leave it up to you," not surprised when he looked startled and then thoughtful.

"Hawaii," Castle said.

"That's it?" Beckett said, slightly surprised by how abrupt he'd spoken. When he nodded, she smiled and said, "Alright but we don't have that long to travel around. We would have to pick one island. And with that I'm sure you're going to make sure we're going to go one summer there in the future, so we can go to all of them."

"I had the idea but when Josie's older," Castle said after they were given their dessert. "Interesting," he said to his wife as they looked at the dish together.

"Do you like rhubarb?" Beckett asked him as that was what it was made from.

"I do," Castle said, watching her get some onto her fork before she ate it.

"I wouldn't have eaten it," Beckett said with a laugh when she finished her bite, seeing the expression on her husband's face. "Eat so we can go."

Castle nodded, deciding he didn't really need to tease her about her urging him before he was turning his attention to his dessert. After they had finished they got up and left; since he'd charged the meal to their room; he helped her with her shawl outside the restaurant. "How long do you want to walk around?" he asked her while they made their way over to the front door.

"Whenever we feel like stopping," Beckett answered as she reached out and looped her arm through his. She smiled when he nodded to her and they walked around to the back of the house where they had had their wedding the year before. She squeezed the upper part of his arm she was holding onto and wasn't surprised when he led her quickly back to the dirt path they'd stepped onto the grass from.

"I forgot you were wearing heels," Castle told his wife. They stood in the sprinkling rain and he leaned over, pressing his lips to the side of her head. " _Ceithre bliana níos mó mo grá_ ," he murmured to her in Irish.

As he'd told her four more years, with the phrase my love at the end, Beckett smiled and said, " _Tá tú ag comhaireamh cheana féin_?"

Since she asked him if he was counting already Castle said, " _Ar ndóigh_ ," which meant of course.

Since her husband was looking at her so closely Beckett said softly, " _Mise freisin_ ," which meant so am I. She smiled when her husband did, and they leaned into each other, kissing tenderly before they slowly parted. "Let's walk along the river," she said, though something inside her was telling her to go back in to their room. She held onto his arm tightly as they started to walk around the manor to it and she leaned against him saying, "We'll do the same as last time."

Knowing that was more of a question, Castle nodded and said, "I like it simpler." He knew his wife was looking at him and said, "And an actual wedding ceremony." He stopped them both and turned to his wife saying, "I don't really want to talk about that though."

"I don't either, but I wasn't sure how… things were for you before," Beckett said a little hesitantly at first.

Nodding, Castle said, "Trust me, they were… lacking. Which is why I wanted to have what we did. Though I let you plan that mostly."

Beckett smiled and said, "When we started talking about the ceremony, I was afraid you'd want something elaborate."

Shaking his head Castle said, "It didn't seem to fit you. And after all it wasn't the kind of wedding that you had wanted since you were young."

Cupping her husband's cheek, Beckett said, "The only thing I hadn't planned on was you."

Castle couldn't help laughing and told her, "That's either an insult or compliment."

Cupping his face with both her hands, Beckett leaned over and brushed her lips to his before she murmured, "Six years Rick."

"I know," Castle said, holding his wife close to him with one arm. They kissed then and did so deeply before he pulled her even tighter against his chest saying, "No regrets?"

"About you?" Beckett asked. When her husband smiled briefly, she did the same herself before she leaned against him, kissing him lightly before she leaned back. "No, but you can always prove to me I don't."

Castle's hand clutched at his wife tightly before he then said, "Alright… we should do that right now."

"Hmm, we should," Beckett said, embracing him tightly. She took his hand once they'd let go of each other and they walked to the manor quickly, greeting the doorman once they were inside. Heading up to their room in the elevator she looked at her husband and said, "Did you want popcorn?"

"No," Castle replied. "I think some tea is good enough now."

Beckett squeezed his hand before they stepped out into the hallway and made their way over to their door. She took the key from him and opened the door to get inside first to watch him follow her. She smiled as he was quick to do so and she said, "I'll get the tea. Take off your blazer."

"Why are you giving orders?" Castle asked in amusement while he was doing as she requested.

"If I'm giving you orders then you wouldn't have taken that off," Beckett replied easily before she started to brew the first cup. She watched him walk up to her and said, "I wish it hadn't been raining."

"We could have stayed outside still," Castle replied. When she just looked at him, he frowned slightly and said, "Maybe not."

"My shoes Rick," Beckett said with a slight laugh. "They were sinking in the dirt."

"You can grab another pair," Castle started to say, gesturing to the armoire.

"I'm fine staying in," Beckett said in amusement as she finished the second cup. She fixed her mug to her liking once the tea was steeped and she said, "But we're going out and walking tomorrow before and after dinner."

"I agree with you completely," Castle said seriously. He smiled when she cupped his cheek and he sipped at his tea carefully before they went together to the couch. Sitting there together they were quiet at first, not really needing to say anything until they were halfway finished. He set down his mug and wrapped his arm around his wife telling her simply, "Hawaii."

"Why do I get the feeling you want to say Tahiti?" Beckett said wryly. When he just smiled, she hugged him with one arm and told him, "Did you pick an island? We never discussed that part of it."

"We should start where everyone does," Castle replied. He was a bit startled when she looked hesitant and he asked, "What is it?"

"I'm wondering if we should," Beckett said. "You want to show them somewhere tropical right?" When her husband nodded, she then said, "What if we just relaxed at an island not so… tourist-y?"

"Which one were you thinking of?" Castle replied.

"Hawaii," Beckett said.

"Have you researched?" Castle asked with a smile.

"Not fully," Beckett admitted. "But I'd like us to either stay at a resort or maybe a home we rent. Somewhere where the girls can run out to the beach."

"I'll look into it," Castle promised. "Will we take the trip on our own or with the others?"

"I'm not sure," Beckett said, hesitating again. "I mean I love travelling with everyone but…"

"Maybe just the McColloughs," Castle suggested. He wasn't surprised when she nodded and he leaned over, kissing her temple before he took her empty mug. "We'll have to talk to everyone."

"We will," Beckett replied, watching him setting the cup on the table in front of them. "But for now…" she said with a smile as he turned to her, not surprised when he leaned down to kiss her.

When he pulled away Castle said, "What do you think?"

"About what?" Beckett said, confused as she wasn't sure what exactly he was intending to talk about.

"About leaving early," Castle said.

Giving him a look Beckett said, "I told you I did want to go into Cork early, just to walk around before we head to the airport."

"I'd like to go to a pub for lunch," Castle said quickly.

Beckett smiled and said, "I'm not surprised. And that's fine, but I want to get pictures."

"And you will," Castle said firmly. "Any gifts for the others?"

"No," Beckett said with a laugh. "Getting something here or in Dublin is enough. We're not getting another suitcase and we'll have enough to fit in the two we've got."

"At least we brought the bigger ones," Castle said, not surprised when his wife was nodding. He then reached over to her, running his hand over the back of her head being careful of her mother's comb so he could cup her bun.

"Hold on," Beckett said, smiling at his touch. She sat up more so she could pull the comb from her hair and give it to him to set onto the table. While he was doing that she started to unpin her locks, waiting until he was looking at her to let them fall around her shoulders. She smiled again as he was watching her closely and said, "Is that enough?"

"It's a start," Castle replied before he was startled when his wife slid right up against him, reaching for his tie to start getting that off. "I forgot about that," he said as she pulled off the blue fabric. "Any reason you packed that one?" he asked her while she tossed the tie next to her mother's comb.

"You're fishing," Beckett said, pointing to him.

"No, I'm not," Castle protested though he actually was.

"No?" Beckett asked wryly. When his response was to grab her and pull her closer to him she had no idea why she had the sudden idea she did, but she set it aside as she was dueling with her husband. Their tongues were tangling around one another frantically and she held onto his arms a little tightly before they slowed down and then stopped. "Rick," she breathed as he was quick to descend to her neck. For some reason her thought wasn't leaving her alone and she had had a sudden realization of what she could do with that and decided she needed to start. "Tell me something."

"Anything," Castle replied.

"A fantasy of yours," Beckett told him. She wasn't surprised when he froze and she smiled saying, "Tell me," firmly. She watched him struggle for a moment before he nodded and then started to speak, setting things up for her which wasn't a surprise at all.

"I liked to have a place," Castle said.

"Your room?" Beckett asked wryly.

"It needed to be," Castle said. "I didn't know what your room looked like exactly until we were together. But one I'm thinking of we were together, and you were in a dress." When he saw she was studying him he shrugged and said, "I saw you all the time in pants. I wanted to see your legs."

Beckett shook her head as she was smiling and then said, "You're lucky I only have this dress to go out in."

"I know," Castle said, reaching down to her knee and rubbing it gently. "So we're kissing and then I unzip your dress and it just drops right to the ground."

"You had special effects in your fantasies," Beckett said with a smirk.

"I couldn't waste time on technicalities," Castle replied in mock annoyance. When she laughed briefly he leaned over and kissed her, holding her close though he was tempted to pull her onto his lap. "Back to that fantasy, you were naked…" he started to say.

"And it got frustrating," Beckett stated as he trailed off.

Nodding Castle said, "All I'd seen was your back and even when we were first together I couldn't see you fully."

"Luckily we were together in the middle of the day after that," Beckett said with a smile at the memory.

"That was the good thing about your leave," Castle commented. "But you were eager to undress me so that happened very quickly, and we were on the bed. From there I could take it in several directions, but I tended to imagine myself kissing all over you."

Beckett cupped his face, as his eyes had naturally drifted down to her breasts, and brought his gaze back up to her. "Rick, I hate to tell you this but I'm not naked under this."

"Not fully," Castle said. When she gave him a look he couldn't help it, leaning over and kissing her on the lips though he didn't let that last for too long. "It's alright, I don't know if I'm comfortable with the idea of you naked under this with all those people around us in the restaurant," he told her a little hesitantly as he rubbed the side of her thigh just under the hem of the skirt, not sure how she would react to that.

"I wouldn't have been either," Beckett said. "Don't worry, it's not possessiveness. I see it more you'd like to keep me to yourself."

Castle wasn't surprised she was quoting him directly and he leaned over, brushing his lips to hers. "If you don't mind it," he stated simply.

Beckett laughed and then shared a deeper kiss with him, feeling him holding her tighter. When they parted she said, "Not the way you do that."

Looking into her eyes Castle lowered his head and caught her lips with his own before they were kissing passionately. He tried to pull her onto his lap, but she stopped him by holding onto his arms tightly. When they stopped after the third or fourth kiss he said, "What… what do you want to do?"

With a smile at his slight hesitation, Beckett cupped his cheek with her hand and pressed a few kisses to his jaw before she nuzzled his skin with her lips. She could hear his breathing growing heavier at her touch and she took the moment to begin unbuttoning his shirt. She pulled it out of his trousers but only unbuttoned the first three before she was kissing him fully. With his arms around her she had to stop him from pulling her onto his lap again, just managing to do so before she moved.

His eyes wide by the time his wife had stopped straddling him, Castle said, "What're you doing?"

"You won the bet remember," Beckett told him with a slow smile. When he closed his eyes tightly she knew he was shuddering and she leaned over, kissing him lovingly before she pulled away. She slid her hand from his shoulder to his chest as he was watching her closely, his eyes dark with his arousal.

Castle's breath was coming out roughly at the way his wife's fingers were running over his skin, her hand tucked under his shirt. She reached his left nipple and he hissed when she began to play with it a bit before he grabbed her hand and pulled it away. "Not really fair," he said when she smiled at him.

"No but I have the chance," Beckett replied simply before she brushed her lips against his. She then leaned down and started kissing his neck and what was exposed of his chest. She didn't do that for too long, getting off him and toeing off her heels saying, "I hope you won't mind if those are off."

"It doesn't matter if I mind it," Castle told her as he watched her kneel on the floor. He reached out to her and cupped the back of her head saying, "You don't have to do this here."

"No, but I want to," Beckett said swiftly. She then moved to reach for his shirt unbuttoning it the rest of the way before she froze as he was leaning over her. When he unzipped her dress, she glanced up and him and moved her hands from the fly of his trousers that she'd managed to open. She shrugged her dress off her shoulders and once the dark blue fabric was around her waist she asked him, "Good?"

"Yes," Castle breathed out heavily as he watched her half naked body while she opened the front of his boxers. His attention went to her fully as she pressed a kiss to the tip of his erection and he leaned back on the couch, groaning her name while her tongue began to lap around him. When she took him fully into her mouth he nearly dug his fingers into her scalp and apologized quickly before she was pulling back as fast, making him groan in frustration mixed with pleasure as she began to speak to get his attention.

"Put your fingers into my hair," Beckett told him.

"But-" Castle started to say with a frown on his face.

Shaking her head, and cutting him off, Beckett said, "You won't hurt me, and I know you're not going too last long."

Though he wanted to gulp in reaction to that, Castle nodded and then threaded his right hand through her hair while he gripped the edge of the couch with his left. She went back down on him and he watched her start to bob her head up and down. He reacted immediately, closing his eyes tightly and squeezing the couch instead of doing anything to his wife's hair. He also forced himself down into the cushions to make sure he wouldn't hurt her as she began to reach up and caress underneath his length, which made him tilt his head back, his eyes open again but not really seeing the ceiling. He lost all sense of time, only the joy in his wife's touch and her mouth before he was losing the last of his control and groaning her name heavily since she wasn't stopping moving over him.

When her husband slowed down, Becket worked on him just a little bit longer before she slowly pulled away and said with a smile, "Hopefully that was worth-" before he was grabbing her. After he had she let him pull her up and they kissed while he was holding her close. She had her hand on his bare chest and while they continued to duel one another with their tongues, she slid her hand further down to his erection which was resting against his stomach. "What do you want to do now?" she asked him as they were panting heavily.

"That wasn't part of the bet," Castle said simply. "Here," he told her, helping her to the side of him before he stood up and fixed himself.

"That seems like a waste of time," Beckett said though she didn't look away from him. As he turned to her she stood up quickly, letting him pick her up and carry her to the bed. She stopped him before he could lay her down, pushing her dress off her waist so it could drop to the floor. "I'm not naked," she said. "But I am coming to you," she continued with a smile as he looked at her.

"I know," Castle said. He took off his shirt, trousers and then boxers before he followed her onto the bed and sat on his knees to watch her touching herself. Letting her do that for a while he then said, "Can I help?"

"I think so," Beckett replied easily. She gasped slightly when he made her get up and she got off the bed to take off her panties. Another gasp left her lips as Castle grabbed her by her hips and pulled her over to him, kissing around her mound before flicking his tongue out to the top of her cleft. "Rick…" she moaned gently.

"I can't help it," Castle replied though his voice was deep with his arousal.

"No, let me lay down," Beckett said.

"This is what I want," Castle said, looking at her as he cupped her ass. When she gave him a look he shrugged and said, "I did win the bet didn't I?"

"Pervert," Beckett said though she didn't really have much force behind that.

"Yes, I am," Castle replied easily before he leaned down and started to run his tongue over as much of her sex he could reach. It wasn't a lot, but he had wanted to try focusing on her clit. He eventually felt her holding onto the back of his head and he started to support her as he realized she needed it. He was meticulous running his tongue over her until he felt her leaning against him a little more and he moved.

Beckett gasped when her husband moved her onto her back, but she was soon crying out in pleasure as he was burying his tongue into her sex and she was losing her fight with herself. While she was orgasming, she gripped the bed underneath her, trying to withstand every wave that slammed through her body. But finally, she felt herself slow down and she was breathing heavily while recovering, Castle moving around to lay next to her she could soon feel.

Castle wrapped his arms around her and said, "I had to return the favor."

"For us both?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Of course," Castle said, running his hand over her hair. He pressed his lips to hers when she moved to do that and gently rubbed his hand around her back. When they had parted he was about to speak when she was covering his mouth with her hand and he watched her as she sat up before she was disappearing into the bathroom. He watched her go and then come back, tossing something to him that he hurried to catch before she was instructing him in what she wanted them to do next.

"We can do this quickly and then get back to it," Beckett replied as her husband looked at her from her bottle of body crème she'd given him.

"It?" Castle asked, handing her back her bottle. When she looked at him questioningly he said, "I'm first."

Beckett was going to comment on that but decided not to before she got onto the bed while he was laying on his stomach. "Rick?" she asked while she got some of his lotion onto her hands, having grabbed his as well. "What did you have in mind after this?"

"To be honest I didn't really have anything," Castle replied, looking back at her. He saw the look on her face and then said with a smile, "I'm not kidding."

"Why is it always up to me?" Beckett asked jokingly.

"It might start out that way but a lot of the time it turns into… us both deciding," Castle said, grunting when she found a knot.

"From yesterday?" Beckett said knowingly. When he nodded she paused so she could kiss the back of his head and then continued, massaging his back until she could feel she'd gotten every part she needed to. "Good?" she asked him.

"Yes," Castle stated simply, trying to get up as fast as he could. He had wanted to grab his wife, but she was already going into the bathroom, hearing the sink a moment later. He stretched a little and went to the edge of the bed to wait for her to walk back out, holding his hand out to her so she would come straight to him.

"That wasn't uncomfortable?" Beckett asked as she'd glanced down at his erection that hadn't really seemed to diminish.

"I've done this before," Castle replied, taking her hand and pulling her against him enough so he could kiss her. Though he knew she was leaning over he couldn't stop until she was pressing on his shoulders firmly. "Sorry, your turn," he told her, not surprised she was shaking her head but smiling at the same time. He followed her as she lay on her stomach where he'd been, and he was quick to get her rose crème on his hands to begin massaging her.

Sighing at his touch, Beckett lay down fully on the bed, concentrating on her husband's touch as he worked out the knots that she had. When he finished she turned around quickly and reached for him, pulling him on top of her before they were kissing passionately. "Fuck me lover," she begged him when they'd pulled apart.

Castle's response to her was to touch her right leg, laying firmly against her before they kissed again. After they had parted shortly after they seemed to scramble a bit to get him inside of her. He studied her closely and when she wrapped her legs around him he thrust inside her hard, both groaning in their pleasure as their hips slapped together almost instantly after. "You're…" he started to say before he watched her pushing herself up on her elbows. They kissed and he started to move, going slowly at first before he felt and heard her moan of frustration.

Feeling her husband speeding up, Beckett reached with her right arm and wrapped it around her husband before he was kissing all over her neck. She tilted her head back and moaned when he began sucking on her skin, trying to angle her hips up though she had no idea what instinct had told her to do that. But when he thrust down into her she was falling back to the bed as he seemed to slam into her clit. "Rick… please," she moaned.

Though he didn't want to, Castle stopped moving and he flipped them around so he was sitting up with her straddling him. "I want to move around," he said while he was kissing around her shoulders. "But not from this bed."

"I don't want to either," Beckett told him quickly before they were kissing again. She pressed against him as he was running his hands around her back and then rocked against him once. "I don't want to stop," she said when he pulled away from her. She smirked briefly when he shuddered hard and started to move, rolling her hips once before she rocked on him again. She was listening to his vocal reactions to judge how she could move before he was suddenly slapping her ass and making her cry out in surprise.

"Let me…" Castle started to say before he was groaning with her as she got off him to allow him to get onto his knees. As soon as he was ready he reached out to her, holding his length in his hand and helping her get back on him once she was straddling him again. They kissed hungrily then, running their hands over each other's bodies until they had to breathe, and he said, "This probably can't last that long."

"No," Beckett replied, gently running her hands across his shoulders before she cupped his face. "But warn me before you move me." When her husband nodded she leaned over and kissed him but kept it swift before she was holding onto his shoulders and then bouncing on him as they vocalized their pleasure quickly. As he started to move with her she couldn't stop herself, digging her nails into his skin since the friction between them grew stronger. Her cry was cut off abruptly when he started to kiss her, and she was quick to react to him, tongues meeting and tangling together. As he was caressing her hair she was surprised they were able to still move but they were and as her pleasure was beginning to rise she wasn't surprised when he grabbed her hips tightly and stopped her. "Time to move?" she murmured to him, nuzzling his lips with her own.

"I think so," Castle said, turning them around again. He was about to raise himself up on his hands and knees when she suddenly stopped him to his surprise.

"Stay like you are," Beckett told him, hooking her arms around him through his arms.

"But I might crush you," Castle said in concern.

"Just use your knees," Beckett begged. She was relieved when her husband nodded, and she bit her lower lip as he began to thrust again. She let out a cry of joy when she felt him going fast again and she dug her fingertips into him while she put her legs around his waist to help her move with him. Their hips were soon slapping together, and she cried out every time that happened as it was a jolt through her body that she wasn't sure she was going to be able to handle.

Castle, feeling his muscles straining, was doing his best not to hurt his wife and move at the same time. He was trying to give her what she wanted and was lucky enough to do that. But he was getting pleasure himself, her sex was tight around him, working with him it was a bit more so. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to last for long and he moved them again to their knees. He didn't stop kissing her while she was bouncing and rocking on him, but he did pause to go to her ear and murmur something into it.

Beckett was moaning as her husband moved to her lobe and nibbled gently on it, but she did as he asked, rolling her hips. That set off a near tandem groan between them at what they were feeling, and she whispered to him, "I need to come Rick."

"You will," Castle promised her before they were kissing. While they were doing that he cupped her ass in his hands before he ran them down her skin to feel her and when she whispered to him to hit her he did so. Slapping her once, firmly, he was relieved when her cry was one of delight before he kissed at her neck as their kiss had ended. He could feel her faltering shortly after and he moved them around again, laying her down on her back before he was thrusting a little wildly since he couldn't handle it anymore himself. "Come for me my love, I can feel you… you're so fucking perfect," he said huskily to her. "I'll do anything you want, just come Kate, now."

Since her husband had said that in his more commanding tone, Beckett had no trouble doing as he asked and she was crying out his name heavily. Her orgasm was rough, and she was nearly clawing at Castle's back, freezing fully when she felt him starting to climax shortly after her. She moved very swiftly again when she had gotten over her initial shock, and she groaned every time their hips were hitting, her body almost literally on fire. It was a slight shock when she felt herself stopping, but she was soon focusing on him moving still above her, gasping at his last thrust as it was hard. She smiled when he was almost collapsed on her and she reached up to gently caress the back of his head.

"Kate," Castle said after a bit when he felt stronger. "Am I hurting you?"

"No," Beckett said, trying to reassure him. But she wasn't surprised when he moved, laying on his back and holding his arm out to her so she would slide against his side. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder once she was settled and sighed in pleasure while he caressed her hair and then upper arm. They were quiet for a while and she began to think that Castle had fallen asleep before he was suddenly speaking to her, nearly making her jump in surprise.

"Kate, there's something I wanted to ask you," he said, not realizing he was startling his wife.

"Oh?" Beckett asked, tilting her head up so she could look at him.

"I was going to ask you yesterday, but I forgot," Castle said. "When you were standing over there at the window, what were you thinking about?"

"You could tell I was doing that?" Beckett asked.

"Of course," Castle said simply. He could discern she was hesitating, and he gently kissed her forehead saying, "Someone else?"

"No," Beckett said firmly. She glanced up at him and seeing the look on his face she sighed and said, "I don't really want to admit it, but I was thinking about us and how much time we lost."

"Kate," Castle said with a sigh as her unspoken words of 'because of me' hung between them. "I had a lot to do with that as well you know."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "It wasn't as if you weren't trying."

Making a face Castle said, "I wasn't trying at first for something like this though. Maybe because I knew you'd say no."

"And it'd give you an excuse to stick around?" Beckett said with a smile.

"Of course," Castle said. When she laughed softly he held her close and then gently kissed at the top of her head saying, "We had to find each other you know."

"I know," Beckett replied. "But I still can't help feeling some sense of regret, though I guess I redeemed myself."

"Oh, thank goodness you thought that," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when his wife laughed, and he said, "But it wasn't so much redeeming love, more you finally admitted to yourself what you wanted, what you needed."

"What would you have done if I hadn't?" Beckett asked him gently.

"I may have gone to you," Castle said. "When, I don't know." He shook his head and said, "But it doesn't matter."

"No," Beckett said as he was rubbing her shoulder again. When he slid his hand down her side she sighed and said, "What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure," Castle said slowly.

"No but you have an idea," Beckett replied, raising herself up enough so she could look at him.

"Yeah," Castle replied before he got off the bed and then went over to his wife's tablet. He brought it back to the bed and said, "Something we haven't done for a while."

"Alright," Beckett said, not sure what he meant since there were several things they hadn't done. But when she looked down at the screen she saw a pair of naked figures and laughed softly saying, "You're right, it's been a while since we've done that."

"You don't mind?" Castle asked, looking at her and trying to gauge her reaction more exactly than by sound.

"No," Beckett said, leaning against him. "It always surprised me they had erotic art in Ancient Egypt," as they were looking at a papyrus with figures in sexual positions.

"I know," Castle said with a nod. He then smiled and said, "They look very curved."

"I know," Beckett echoed, smiling at him before she swiped to the next picture.

"This one always freaked me out," Castle said, sliding his finger over the screen to get the artwork of a woman with two octopus off. "Have you ever read this book?"

"You asked me that last time," Beckett said wryly as it was an illustration for the novel Fanny Hill. "I'll tell you the same thing I said before. I haven't, just the summary and that was more than enough." She wasn't surprised when he kissed at the side of her head a few times and said, "You've never read the Marquise de Sade have you?"

Shaking his head rapidly Castle said, "I know his work and it's a little too much for me."

"Good," Beckett said simply before she smiled at him and swiped to the next picture. "Hmm, if we do go to India we really need to be careful."

"I thought the same," Castle said as the carving was obviously from a temple. "But hey, at least everyone was enjoying themselves here."

Beckett rolled her eyes, since two figures on the side were pleasuring themselves, before she said, "I got that, but their position looks uncomfortable. Don't ask me to try that."

"Are you sure it wasn't the man's legs," Castle replied as they weren't sure who was holding up who in the pair in the middle.

"I don't think so," Beckett said. She shrugged and then told him, "But we'll find something else to do."

"Of course we will," Castle replied easily. They went through the artwork for a while before they stopped at one they hadn't seen and he glanced at her, about to speak when she was cutting him off quickly by pressing her hand to his mouth to allow herself to tell him what he'd been thinking first.

"I'm not going to get into that position," Beckett said firmly. "Plus, your cock wouldn't stay standing like that." She knew he was wondering why, so she said jokingly with a smirk, "I'd want to balance a plate on it." She wasn't surprised when he grabbed her hand and suddenly kissed her, knowing it wasn't what she'd said that was the reason for it. She was wrapping her arms tightly around him as they started to duel with their tongues and when he tried to hold her she laughed. "I think we've had enough Rick," she told him, taking the tablet he'd still been holding.

Castle ran his hand over his wife's back before she moved over to the nightstand to set the device there. When she came back to him he said, "You could at least hold me up." As she gave him a slight look he said, "No balancing though."

Shaking her head Beckett told him, "I want to be fucked love. By you."

At first Castle was going to speak before he stopped himself and then leaned over, kissing her deeply before he made her lay down. When they parted, he ran his hand over her side before he squeezed her side with his entire hand. "Love," he breathed to her before he was cradled between her legs, allowing her to take him so he could enter her.

Beckett wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could since her legs were already doing that and they began to move. Though her husband was doing that mostly she was still helping him and leading to their hips smacking together. It also helped the friction between them and she was grasping at his back to try and handle how much that affected her. Since they were moving so fast she didn't have to try and last for long, soon climaxing with her husband as he followed her swiftly after. When she slowed down she focused all her attention on him, feeling his thrusts as he finally spent himself and then went still. She kissed at his temple when he buried his face into her neck and murmured his name, trying to get his attention before he was moving suddenly.

Raising his head Castle said, "What's wrong?"

"No," Beckett said with a smile, brushing her lips against his. "Why are you coming so much?" She felt him stiffen slightly and said, "You have been."

"So is that a… problem," Castle said slowly as he tried to withdraw from her, but she tightened her grip on his body with her legs.

"Oh no, I love that," Beckett replied easily, stroking his hair. "I'm just surprised you're so constant," she confessed. "You actually always are but it's interesting to experience."

"Then… about the sw-" Castle started to say as he was able to pull away from her fully.

"Don't ask," Beckett said, already knowing what he was talking about. "After all these years you really shouldn't be surprised that's my choice."

"But…" Castle started to say before he stopped himself. "Okay, I'm happy with it."

"Of course you are," Beckett replied before she watched him turn onto his back. When she pressed against his side, she saw the look on his face and asked, "What?"

"No pervert comment?" Castle asked, wrapping his arms around her so he could hold her close.

"I think I called you that enough yesterday," Beckett replied, pressing her lips to his collarbone. "But it didn't need to be said either." She wasn't surprised to soon after feel her husband shaking in his laughter and she smiled as she started to gently caress his chest before he froze. "I know we're leaving in the morning but it's still early," she told him as he grabbed her hand. She watched him, seeing him obviously thinking of what he should say, before he moved instead of speaking.

Kissing his wife as hard as he could, Castle draped himself over her body and then said when they stopped, "Is this what you want?"

"I'm very happy with this," Beckett replied. "But I'd be much happier if you told me what you wanted." She couldn't help smiling at the surprise on his face and kissed him on the lips quickly before he was getting off her. When he led her to the end of the bed, she sat on the chest there which was covered by the blanket for the bed and wrapped her arms around her husband as he sat on his knees in front of her. They began to kiss, touching each other as much as they could at the same time before they were kissing repeatedly. By the time they stopped they were breathing a little hard and were brushing their swollen lips together gently. "What do you want my love?" she eventually murmured to him.

"Just you Kate," Castle said. " _An féidir liom an chuid eile dár saol a bheith agat_?" he said, asking her if he could have her the rest of their lives.

Smiling, Beckett kissed him deeply before she replied, " _Ach amháin más féidir liom a bheith agat_ ," which meant the phrase only if I can have you. She wasn't surprised when he pulled her right onto him and they kissed yet again, for some time until he was moving away to get her to lay down on the middle of the bed. "I love you Rick," she told him seriously as he was laying on her.

"I love you too Kate," Castle replied quickly. "Always?"

"Always," Beckett said, a slight smile on her face before they were kissing and soon moving with each other.

Once they were coupled as one again, Castle and Beckett began to thrust and they were kissing frantically while they began to make love roughly and pleasurably. They did everything they could to satiate their need for one another and knew it would be some time before they would do that sufficiently enough. But because they couldn't resist one another, thoughts of sleep and their flight were far away given they were feeling their intimacy and wanted to experience it as many times they could manage the rest of their night alone in their lavish stateroom.


	41. Epilogue- There Was Applause

Genre: Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: As it says this is the epilogue and we've come to the end of this story. I have another one ready to go so if anyone wants to read it I'll be posting next Monday!

A/N #2: With the other contestants I just wanted to say that besides Eddie and Jonathan I've made up everyone since it was easier to do that.

A/N #3: It was so great getting the feedback I ended up receiving for the last chapter, so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really happy to see that you thought the chapter had great writing!),

Guest (So nice to see that you thought the chapter was outstanding and that you said as per usual for me! And you're very welcome for the chapter as well!),

Emma (I'm very pleased to see that you're loving this story still!) and

Mb (It was great to see you thought the first half of the chapter was a very sweet update. I'm glad you liked reading Castle and Beckett enjoying one another and relaxing while they were at the manor. Nice to see you enjoyed them having fun shopping for their daughters and themselves as well. I was glad that you thought it was fun times when they were playing with the archery set. And I wasn't surprised you mentioned the bed or that you mentioned they were essentially both winners with the bet, lol. I was really pleased that you thought it was a nice look at their family back in the Hamptons having their own fun but missing Castle and Beckett as you put it. I wasn't surprised either that you mentioned Alexis being awed by being a sister, daughter and granddaughter without the step in there. Or that you could tell she was getting used it slightly but still needing to fully. But I agree, she's always been that to them and now it's just official. Really happy that you thought the first half was a sweet update. You're very welcome for sharing! I was happy that you thought the second half was beautifully written. And I'm glad that you thought the beginning with Castle and Beckett in the bath was such a Caskett thing, lol. And great you enjoyed them going to dinner and flirting as well as planning their night and vacations in the future. It was great to see that you liked them when they were back in the state room. Really pleased you enjoyed the love scenes at the end with their love and passion expressed in body, soul, and heart as you put it given and taken with reverence as you said by and for each other. Definitely Caskett always. You're welcome for the second half!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I love reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way! And I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who read over the course of the story and favorited and followed it as well as reviewed, I am grateful for all of that and for anything that I might get in the future as well!

A/N #4: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song _That Day Is Done_ by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), from Paul's album _Flowers in the Dirt_.

There Was Applause When She Stepped Up

Squeezing her mother's hand as they sat down, Julia said, "It won't be too long now, will it?"

"I don't think so," Beckett assured her. "Tired?"

Shrugging, Julia looked around the studio and bit her lower lip as she couldn't believe they'd finally gotten to the day of the announcement for the cast of DWTS. She was with her parents, Mari, Peter and Clive at the _Good Morning America_ studios in New York City and they were sitting in the part where they would have the announcement. She smiled at Mari who was to her right and then turned her attention to the hosts of DWTS that were walking into the middle of the two groups of chairs.

"This is so weird," Mari murmured to her friends as someone behind one of the cameras was counting down to when they'd be filming. She wasn't surprised when the other three nodded, but Beckett was soon touching her shoulder around Julia, so she turned her attention back in front of them.

"We've come, finally to what I think everyone was waiting for," the co-host Tom Bergeron said into the mic that he was holding. "And out in the country this Tuesday morning. Our stars and pros for season 31!"

After the applause had died down and music began the other co-host Erin Andrews said, "First up we have an award-winning photojournalist who's documented different stories from the refugees of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption to the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Woodstock music festival, Daisy Baxter and her partner Sasha Farber."

Julia applauded when the two walked around a screen that they could see their shadows through, smiling at her friends since the two had been dancing while their names were announced. She had to quickly turn her attention back to the small stage as the next pairing was being announced.

"Next is actor from the show _Way of the Marines_ , Leandro Vestri and his partner Allison Holker," Tom announced.

"Do you know that show?" Mari whispered to Julia.

Shaking her head, the girl looked at the pair as they walked out, smiling seeing the pro as she recalled her from past seasons. Julia then turned her attention to the next pair, who was a baseball player and the pro dancer Sharna Burgess. "Who is he?" she whispered to her mother.

"Raul Granger," Beckett said quickly. "He played for the Mets."

Nodding, and not surprised her mother knew that because of the team, Julia turned her attention to the next pair behind the screen, her eyes wide at the sight of how tall the man was. When he was announced as co-host of the show _Property Brothers_ she wasn't sure what that was, but she quickly recognized the name Jonathan Scott, since he had danced with his twin brother Drew in season 25. She applauded, smiling when she saw his partner Whitney Carson following him down the steps and to their chairs.

After seeing actress Lisa Wells and her partner Keo Motsepe, the basketball player Wade Milton and his partner Peta Murgatroyd and the model Catalina Starek who was partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy, Castle leaned over and looked at Julia, seeing her excitement though she was obviously trying to keep as calm as possible. He shared a smile with his wife when they looked at each other, but turned back to see the last five stars wondering when Skye would be announced.

When a singer, Elijah Upton, and his partner Lindsay Arnold were next, Julia glanced at her friends, not surprised they were looking a little confused as well. But she guessed they might be leaving the investigator for last so she looked on while a race car driver, Gerry King, and her partner, Artem Chigvintsev were next.

"Next up is an actress who's starred in independent movies like _Down to the Station_ and _Perpetuality_ , Felicia Constance and her partner a returning pro Tristan MacManus," Tom announced.

Julia looked at her mother in excitement, remembering the Irish dancer though he hadn't been on the show for a long time. She then smiled since she knew they were closer to getting to Skye; as there were only four chairs left.

"Next is an actor who's appeared in movies such as _Valkyrie_ and in television roles on _Hannibal_ and as an improver on the British version of _Whose Line Is It Anyway?_ , Eddie Izzard with his partner Emma Slater," Erin announced after the applause had stopped.

Beckett smiled at the gasp from Julia since she had seen the actor on the improv show with her and Castle. She watched the actor walk out, dressed in heels, and glanced at her husband before he smiled.

"And last is a National Transportation Safety Board investigator and singer with the band The Rambling O'Dells who have appeared in two music videos with Sir Paul McCartney," Tom began. "Pretty good start," he said with a laugh, looking at Erin. "Rose McDouglas. And her partner, coming for one last season, six-time _Dancing With the Stars_ champion Derek Hough."

As soon as that was announced, Castle and Beckett were looking over at the kids as they heard them gasping clearly in reaction, though Julia's was more of a squeak than a gasp. But they were soon looking ahead as Skye and Derek were walking down the steps and shaking Tom's and Erin's hands. When they sat down, they listened to the conversation with each star and pro, waiting for Skye to be spoken to.

"Our resident NTSB investigator," Tom eventually said. "There's a little discrepancy with your name, you prefer to be called Skye."

"I do," the investigator replied with a smile. "You're not going to be hearing Rose all that often."

"You're not just an investigator and singer," Erin said then. "You're a pilot and you know a lot of languages."

"I do," Skye said.

"What made you decide to join the show?" Erin then asked.

"I know some dancing," Skye said. "Swing and a bit of Flamenco, but I'm not expecting to learn those…" she started to say before looking up at Derek.  
"I don't know," the dancer said with a laugh. "We'll try not to."

"But it was mostly my wife that convinced me to try it out," Skye said. "And our five girls, I'm dancing for them."

"And Derek, you're back for one more chance at the Mirror Ball trophy," Tom said to the dancer. "How do you think your chances are?"

"I'm not here just for that," the pro said quickly. "I've known about Skye for a while so hearing I was going to be her partner I was ready to see what we can do."

"Teaching me," Skye added with a smile.

"Teaching her," Derek said with a laugh.

The discussion went on to the race car driver and while the others were talking Julia couldn't help watching Skye and Derek. She eventually glanced at her parents, getting the feeling they had known already who the investigator was going to be partners with. She wanted to talk to them but didn't have the chance to as things were continuing for the show until the cameras stopped filming. "Did you know?" she asked the instant she could.

"We did, but Skye asked us to keep that secret," Beckett said. "Are you mad at us?"

Thinking about that Julia shook her head and said, "I guess not, but what a surprise!"

"And that means we're going to be watching Derek Hough dancing," Peter pointed out to his partner.

"And far more than that," a voice said from behind the kids. Skye smiled and said, "Hullo, hullo," laughing when Julia launched herself at her with a squeal. "And where's the rest of your family then?"

"At the airport," Beckett replied, having to hug her friend around her daughter as Julia was still embracing her. "How've things been going?"

"Well," Skye said, looking over her shoulder quickly. "Now Julia, you've got to let me go," she told the girl. "There's someone who'd like to meet you."

Seeing Derek, Julia smiled and waved at him before saying to the investigator's surprised expression, "I've met him before."

"You did?" the dancer asked in surprise.

"A very long time ago," Beckett said. "When she was five."

"Six years ago," Castle added. "In San Francisco; you danced to Paul McCartney songs."

Thinking for a moment, Derek nodded saying, "I remember that. Who are your friends?"

"This is Mari Foster," Julia said, starting with her friend since she was next to her. "That's her partner Clive Lennox. And this is my partner, Peter Waterson."

"Nice to meet you," Derek said. "Skye's told me how she wants you guys in the studio with us, to help her."

"If that's okay," Peter said slowly.

"It is," Derek said with a nod. "And I'll want to see how you dance." He smiled when the kids were looking at each other before he said, "She wants you to do that with us… if we can."

"We need to get going," Skye said then. "We'll end up missing our flight." They started to leave the studio together and she asked Julia, "What do you think of my fellow stars?"

"Can I meet Eddie Izzard? Can we?" the girl said hurriedly. "We watched him on _Whose Line?_ "

"I'll be glad to introduce you," Skye commented. "He's a nice guy."

"Have you talked to him?" Castle asked her.

"Of course, we've all met each other before this," Skye said. "Alright, we'll have to split up. See you at our gate."

"Mom," Julia said, grabbing her mother's hand. "I'm so excited."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said squeezing her hand firmly. She let Castle call two cabs for them and she went with the girls while he took the two boys in the other car and they were soon on their way to JFK, listening to Julia and Mari talking eagerly about that season the entire way.

* * *

"Skye?" a voice said behind the group as they were waiting to board their plane.

"Eddie," the investigator said, smiling at her fellow co-star. "Are you ready?"

"Are you flying the plane?" the actor asked.

"No but I do know who our pilots are," Skye told him. "I'm glad though you came over. Some of my instructors here want to meet you."

"Oh, you're the little imps she told me about," Eddie said, turning to look at the four kids. "How is it you know who I am?"

"We saw you on _Whose Line?_ The British one," Julia said. "You did a really funny news program… and the Creature from Essex."

Laughing Eddie said, "One of my finest roles." He noticed the two boys were looking at his feet and asked, "What can I help you with lads?"

"Those don't hurt your feet?" Clive asked first.

"Not at all, I'm very comfortable with them," Eddie said. "You should be wearing them as well."

"Pass," Skye said, since he'd said the last to her, with a roll of her eyes though she was soon smiling. "I should introduce you to them. This is Julia Castle, Peter Waterson, Mari Foster and Clive Lennox. And these are Julia's parents-"

"The authors," Eddie said, interrupting before shaking their hands.

"You've heard of us?" Beckett said in surprise.

"Oh of course, I have your books at home," Eddie said. "Quite nice reading. Will you be dancing as well?"

"No." "Yes," Beckett and Skye said at the same time.

Laughing Eddie said, "I suppose we'll see that soon. Excuse me."

"Wow," Clive said as the actor walked away. "We just met an actor."

"You did," Beckett said. "We need to get ready though, we're about to board."

Getting her backpack Julia went to her grandparents who were standing with Eliza at the windows and said, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. "How come that man has lady shoes?" she asked as they went hand in hand to their parents.

"Sweetie he likes to dress that way," Beckett said after she and Castle shared a look.

"Oh… kay," Eliza said before she smiled. "Can we go?"

After he squeezed her hand, Castle picked up their third daughter before he watched Beckett taking Josie's carrier from her father. "Are we ready?" he asked her.

"We are," Beckett said before they made their way over to the jetway. She smiled as she saw they were behind the actress and the _Property Brothers_ co-host before they were entering the 767. When they were in first class, she got Josie's carrier ready before she was about to sit down, but she paused as her second oldest grabbed her hand. She made sure the baby was okay and then turned around to see what Julia wanted before she was speaking in a rush.

"Can I sit with Mari?" the girl said.

"Of course," Beckett replied with a smile. "But you two are sitting in front of me and Josie."

"Make sure you tell Josa not to kick our seats," Julia said with a smile.

"Josa?" Derek asked as he was talking to Skye near them.

"That's what my sisters and I call her," Julia explained. "We call each other special names, the four of us."

"What's yours?" Derek asked, moving aside for someone walking down the aisle past them.

"Jules," Julia replied. "My big sister we call 'lexis; her name is Alexis. "And Eliza we call Lizzy."

"Nice," Derek replied with a smile. "So you're close."

"Yep," Julia said. She then said slowly, "We… know how to dance already. And we're just gonna be there for Skye."

"I told you," the investigator said, smiling at her partner.

"I know," Derek replied with a nod. "And Julia, Skye asked you not just to help her; that's more my job. It's more she wanted you four to have the chance to dance."

"I'm serious, you two are fab and so are Mari and Clive," Skye was telling her. "But we're not sure if we can work it in yet so we'll see if you've got the chance."

Nodding, Julia said, "Okay, I just want to see you teaching Skye."

"Oh, if you guys can do some dances yourself I'll be choreographing," Derek said. He looked over at Peter and Clive who had exclaimed at that and said with a laugh, "I see that meets your approval."

"Of course it does," Skye said absently, looking over towards the flight deck.

"Come here sweetie," Beckett said, taking her daughter's arm gently. "We're going to leave soon, and I need to make sure you guys will be okay." She wasn't surprised when her daughter nodded, and they went to where Mari was standing in their row, looking out the window.

"What's wrong?" Julia asked her friend.

"Who's gonna sit next to the window?" Mari asked.

"You'll take turns," Beckett said. "Since you need to sleep a little you'll switch after that."

"Okay," Julia said, sharing a look with Mari who nodded. They then played rock, paper, scissors and her friend won, making her look up at her mother.

"You guys are crazy," Beckett told them teasingly. "Sit and put on your seatbelts." Once she was sure they had, she had them to look at the safety pamphlet and made sure they would be alright. "Skye's going to be right across from you," she then told her daughter. "So listen to her too."

"We will," Julia replied, nodding her head rapidly. She then smiled and said, "Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome, call me if you need anything," Beckett said.

"They're good?" Castle asked his wife as she went to her row where he was waiting for her.

"Yeah," Beckett replied with a nod. She then smiled and said, "You?"

"I'm ready to go," Castle said, glancing at her father who was sitting in the aisle seat of his row. "So's Mother." He couldn't help it and he leaned over, sharing a kiss with his wife before he sat in the window seat. He was about to ask his father in law if he didn't want the window when the PA turned on.

"Good morning and welcome to your British Airways flight, _Dancing With the Stars_ express JFK to LAX," Skye said jokingly before the stars and the pros began to cheer. She laughed and then shook her head, handing the radio to the flight attendant before she sat in her row with Derek.

Beckett wanted to ask the investigator something but had to wait until they'd gone through the safety announcement and then taken off into the sky. She turned to her friend after she'd checked on Josie and was a little taken aback to find her looking at her. "Mary?" she asked as she was aware the investigator knew what she was asking about.

"She decided to stay with the girls," Skye replied. She then smiled and said, "They're going to watch though."

"Weird to think they won't see it for another hour," Beckett commented.

"I know," Skye said. "Are you going to sleep?"

"You suggested it," Beckett replied. "How're you doing though?"

"I'm fine, at least I won't need to fly again," Skye commented. She then told her, "Better get to rest, Cheyenne told me lunch will be served in two hours."

Nodding, and not surprised her friend knew the flight attendant at the front of the plane, Beckett made sure Skye would keep an eye on the baby before she took off her seatbelt as soon as the light was off, and she went to the girls ahead of her. "Are you two ready?"

"What if we're not sleepy?" Julia asked as she and Mari had been talking about the announcement they'd been watching.

"You need to try," Beckett replied, getting the pillows down from the overhead compartment. "And it's only for a couple hours."

"That's it?" Mari asked in surprise.

"That's it," Beckett said. "Try to sleep and I'll wake you up for lunch."

"Night Mom," Julia said as her mother made sure they weren't leaning back too far in their chairs.

"Night," Beckett told both girls before she made her way to the row behind her father and Castle where Eliza was with Martha. "Are you comfortable like that?" she asked her mother in law in surprise, seeing her holding the little girl on her lap.

"I imagine this is the only way she'll feel comfortable sleeping," Martha said with a smile. "But she'll sleep," she promised.

With a quick nod, Beckett leaned over and kissed the top of Eliza's head before she went to the next row where Peter and Clive were sitting together. "Are you boys okay?" she asked them.

"Yeah," Peter said first. "Rick got us the pillows and blankets."

"Good, one of us will wake you up in two hours," Beckett told them, watching them lean back their chairs. "Night you two." She smiled when they waved, and she went over to her row, grabbing her pillow and blanket. When she saw her husband out of the corner of her eye she smiled at him and said, "Get some sleep Rick."

"I will, just making sure you're okay," Castle said, keeping his voice down.

Shaking her head, Beckett glanced quickly at Josie and seeing the baby was asleep she turned to her husband and they shared a quick kiss. " _Will we do better later_?" she asked in Irish though she kept her voice down so Skye couldn't hear.

"We will," Castle said, nodding. He squeezed her hand and waited for her to get back in her chair and lean back. Once she was on her side, facing the carrier, he pressed his lips to her temple and went back to his chair, leaning back himself. "Boys," he said to the two behind him. "Try to sleep." When Peter and then Clive apologized, he smiled before he closed his eyes himself. He wasn't sure he would be sleeping, but he did manage to doze off before he heard his wife calling his name. "Lunch?" he asked her.

Nodding her head, Beckett got up and she smiled at her husband as he was getting up and moved to the row behind him. She focused on the girls in front of her, shaking Julia's shoulder gently. "Morning," she told them with a smile as both girls ended up waking up. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," Julia said. "Are we still gonna eat the breakfast?" she asked as she handed her blanket so her mother could fold it.

"We are," Beckett said, since Skye had gotten them pre-paid meals and the kids had all chosen the British breakfast option. When she had both blankets and the pillows folded and put away she said, "Will you be alright."

"Yep," Julia said, smiling widely at her as she put down her tray. When her mother left her, she looked at her friend and said, "I can't believe we're almost there."

"Me too," Mari said with a nod. "But at least we can eat first; I'm starving."

Nodding herself Julia said, "I can't wait to see what the food is like. Skye said it's-" she started to say before the flight attendant was stopping at their row.

"Good afternoon ladies," the woman said, smiling at them. "You both have the Great British Breakfast?"

"Yeah," Mari said first.

Watching as the plates were set down in front of them, Julia then said when the woman had finished, "Could we have some ginger ale to drink?"

"Both of you?" the flight attendant asked. When the two girls nodded, she turned her attention to getting the drinks before she turned to the seats on the other side of the aisle.

"Wow," Mari said. "This is a lot of food."

"I know, but it looks really good," Julia said. She picked up her glass of the soda and she smiled saying, "Cheers?"

"Yeah, cheers," Mari told her eagerly.

Julia began to giggle but did her best to stop so they could tap their glasses together and then start to eat. Though she knew her mother was behind her, she couldn't help it and picked up the madeleine that was with some other breads. Eating half of the sweet she looked over at her friend and seeing she was doing the same they started to laugh together a little hard, not realizing they were getting Beckett's attention in front of them.

"Girls," she said, looking over Julia's seat. "You two need to be eating the savory stuff first." Beckett wasn't surprised when they pouted at her but soon were picking up their forks to start on the omelet that was part of the meal. Satisfied she sat back down and turned her attention to her own food, looking over at Josie who was awake. She smiled at the baby, since she was doing so, and squeezed her tiny hand as the plane continued over the country to Los Angeles.

* * *

"Mum!" "Mummy!"

"They really do call her that now," Mari whispered to Julia as they watched the McDouglas girls run to Skye.

"I told you," the girl replied, smiling at her before looking back to the family as they reunited.

"I take it you saw?" the investigator asked her wife jokingly as they embraced before sharing a brief kiss.

"We did," Mary replied. "And you were great _grá_."

"Oh, thank you," Skye replied, picking up Iris. "For now our guests," she stated though their other daughters had gone over to the five kids.

"Sorry," Mary said, hurrying over to Beckett first. She shared a quick hug with her and did the same with Castle while she said, "Welcome to your home, it's so great to see you both again."

"Great to see you," Castle told her. "Sure we don't need to get a hotel?"

"No," Mary said with a laugh, knowing he was joking. "You'll all fit," she said before she went to Martha and Jim to greet them.

"Alright," Skye then said loudly as the kids were laughing together. "Obviously we need to calm down," she added as Josie had begun to cry.

"She's tired," Beckett said, going to the carrier her father was holding and picking up the baby.

"Who's she staying with?" Skye asked.

"With Martha, but we'd like to get another crib to have in the guest house so she can stay with us sometimes," Beckett replied.

"I'll take you to your room first Martha," Skye said with a smile. "And then we'll get the kids and Jim set before getting you two settled into the guest house."

Castle and Beckett glanced at each other, but they followed the investigator and his mother before they went into the house and up the stairs. In the hall on the second floor they walked together to one of the doors and inside they found a crib against the wall near the bed. Beckett was quick to set Josie inside, as the baby had fallen asleep on the way in, and they left quickly since Castle had set his mother's suitcases next to the dresser. Outside they could hear the kids downstairs and Martha left them quickly to help Jim and Mary before Skye turned to the two with her.

"I wish I had a couple more rooms for the kids," the investigator said.

"Don't worry," Beckett told her first before they walked over to the stairs. "Julia and Mari have shared before. And I think Peter and Clive have had sleepovers."

"Well… if you're sure about the boys," Skye replied. When she glanced back at the two to find them looking at her, she smiled and said, "I wasn't sure about them, I don't know them as well as Julia and Mari." They stepped down into the family room and she said, "Alright, three of you need a tour of the house… actually you two as well," directing the last to Martha and Jim. "I'll take you first to your rooms."

Since they'd been there before, Castle and Beckett trailed behind the group and managed to check their daughter when they had passed Martha's room. When the kids were settled in their rooms they were led outside by Skye and Mary while the others remained in the family room.

"I told you they would be fine," Beckett was telling the investigator.

Nodding her head Skye said, "I had hoped since the four of them are friends of course," referencing Peter and Clive who had in fact had sleepovers at each other's homes before. She unlocked the door to the guest house and ushered Castle and Beckett inside first, entering with her wife behind her as they watched the two notice the change immediately.

"You added a room?" Castle asked in surprise when he spotted the door at the other end of the living room.

"We did, I figure we should just in case," Skye said.

"It's small but it does have a bathroom," Mary added. "Just a shower. You can check it out."

Walking into that room first Beckett saw there was a queen-sized bed and then another door she assumed was the bathroom. But what had quickly caught her eye was the crib, the sight of that making her look over at the investigator.

"We have friends who had them," Skye said simply.

"Thank you for that," Beckett said gratefully. She then smiled and said, "Especially for taking on a baby that might be teething soon."

"We wouldn't mind," Mary said quickly. "Her being in the house. You guys would need the rest."

"Are the rooms soundproof inside?" Castle asked as he and his wife had never inquired about that before.

"Enough that it shouldn't bother the kids, it's why we put Martha with a room between hers and Jim's," Mary assured them both. "Are you going to unpack?"

"We need to, we have a lot of suitcases to go through," Beckett said before she followed her husband over to the stairs. Going up to their bedroom she looked around and said, "Feels like home."

"Really?" Skye asked in amusement as she and Mary were standing at the top of the stairs.

"Really," Castle answered. "We'll be quick since we can't unpack everything."

Beckett had put her suitcase on the bed and looked behind her to see the two women were leaving before they paused, and she was about to ask them what was wrong when the investigator spoke first.

"Since it's so early in the afternoon," Skye started. "I was thinking of letting them head into the pool."

"Have they seen the slide?" Beckett asked her, glancing at her husband when he went over to one of the windows that looked down on the yard.

"They did, our girls were very quick to point it out to them," Mary commented. "They'll want to head over there I'm sure."

Nodding Beckett said, "What about dinner? We can c-"

"No cooking," Mary said. "Well, by yourself," she said quickly when Beckett frowned slightly at her. "There are a lot of us here now."

"We'll take our family sometimes," Castle commented, walking back to them. "Give you a break."

"You really don't need to," Skye replied. "But if you'd like to go ahead. Tonight we're planning on heading to the Promenade."

"You have reservations?" Castle asked.

"Of course," Mary said. " _The King's Head_? We're sitting at the tables in one room to the side."

"Sounds like it'll be fun," Beckett replied. "We'll join you."

"Great, we'll head back in and let Martha and Jim know about this," Skye said. "See you at the pool?"

"Someone might need to help Eliza," Beckett said quickly.

"We'll let them know," Skye replied, nodding her head.

After the two women had left, Castle looked down at the door and when he was sure they were outside he turned to his wife.

"Don't," Beckett said, making him immediately stop as he'd been walking towards her. She turned around to face him and told him, "I know what you want to do Rick, I do too. But I really want to get unpacked, we have a lot here."

Castle took a moment to try and think of a reason to say they had time, but he knew they needed to go help the others with the kids. He nodded and then went around the bed with one of his suitcases before he started to unpack himself. "At least our other suitcases got here."

"I'm sure Skye would have let us know if they hadn't," Beckett replied with a smile. She then grabbed her second suitcase and got everything into the closet before she said, "I'm changing."

"You're making an announcement?" Castle asked in amusement.

Beckett didn't say anything, just looked at her husband before she went into the bathroom to change into her bikini and sundress. When she came outside, she saw her husband had done the same and she tossed their bottle of sunscreen to him saying, "I'm ready."

"I will be too," Castle said, taking off his shirt. He glanced at his wife and saw she had gone to the window seat. "I can see you," he commented.

"And you think I wouldn't be trying to look at you?" Beckett replied, standing up and walking to him.

"I'll remind you that you said-" Castle started to say before he was cut off by his wife placing her hands on his chest. He tried to smirk, but his muscles weren't really reacting as all the ones in his chest seemed to be doing so to her touch. "Kate," he said, holding her hands gently.

Smiling at him Beckett said, "We'll need a shower."

"Fooling around?" Castle asked hopefully.

Leaning into him, Beckett was pleased when he moved immediately so they could kiss and after they parted shortly after she said honestly, "I don't know if we can."

"I know too, we'll see," Castle said. He then realized what he'd said, and he asked her, "That made sense right?"

"It did," Beckett said with a laugh. "Come on," she told him.

"Wait," Castle said quickly as he stopped her. "I didn't get my sunscreen on."

With a nod, Beckett watched him quickly spraying his exposed skin before he then put on his shirt again and they walked down to the door to leave. She was a bit startled to find the others walking out except for Martha and she said, "Josie?"

"She wants to stay inside," Jim said. "She says it's too hot."

"Oh, well if she's alright with that," Beckett said, glancing at the house.

"She'll come outside when Josie wakes up," Jim told his daughter, gently squeezing her arm. "The girls want to go on the slide."

For a moment Beckett was a little confused before she realized why he'd told her that before she went over to the pool. "Hey, how're your rooms?" she asked her daughters though she was looking more at Eliza.

"I like mine," the little girl said with a giggle. "Fleur's bed is really big."

"You don't mind sharing?" Beckett asked the girl herself.

"No, it's like a sleepover all the time," Fleur replied, giggling softly with Eliza.

"She's been excited," Marie commented.

"That may be the case," Skye said, walking over to them. "But you know you'll have school and the show as well. All of you, not just Fleur and Eliza."

"We know Mum," Kathleen replied, grinning. "But now can we go on the slide?"

"Go but you need to take turns," Mary answered before her wife could.

"Youngest to oldest?" Marie said.

"Go on," Skye told her.

With that the kids made their way to the slide and they started to take their turns on it, going repeatedly though they did allow the adults to go on as well. Eventually they calmed down and were swimming together, talking, before Skye and Beckett were getting out of the water.

"I almost told you I don't need help," Skye told her friend while they were walking up to the house. "I forgot there're so many of us." She glanced at Beckett and then said, "I'm not regretting asking you here."

"I know," she replied with a smile. Waiting until they were inside the kitchen Beckett then said, "I wanted to ask you something."

"About Derek?" Skye asked. She smiled when her friend looked surprised and told her, "I gathered, since you waited until we were away from your daughter. And if it's about the next time we see him it'll be tonight."

"I thought it would be, dinner?" Beckett asked.

Nodding Skye said, "He's coming over after, he does want to see the four of them dance but he doesn't want to make them nervous."

Beckett wasn't surprised to hear that, but it did worry her for her daughter's sake a bit. She thought for a moment and said, "I'll see what happens once we get to that moment. The drinks?"

"Just pineapple juice," Skye replied. "And only a little, don't want the kids getting full before our dinner."

"Or the adults," Beckett said though she'd spoken absently. While the investigator had been talking she heard footsteps on the stairs and she said, "Martha?"

"Yes, she needs to nurse," Castle's mother replied.

"Do you mind helping Skye taking a tray outside?" Beckett asked her mother in law. When Martha nodded, she took the baby and went over to one of the chairs at the kitchen table so she could start feeding Josie before the baby could cry. She was soon alone, though that didn't last very long as she shortly after heard the sliding door opening and she smiled at her husband who was walking in and immediately asking a question that didn't surprise her.

"Are you alright?" Castle asked.

"I'm fine, your mom-" Beckett started to say before her husband was taking the towel Martha had put on her shoulder. "And the girls?"

"They're fine, all the kids are fine," Castle replied. He then smiled and said, "Really, Mother told me you were nursing and I told Skye and Julia heard. I'm sure she told her sister."

Beckett nodded, looking down at the baby before she said, "I need to change her."

"Her-" Castle started to say.

"Into her bathing suit," Beckett interrupted as she knew what he was going to ask. "But she'll stay in the carrier."

"We don't have a lot of time before we need to get ready," Castle pointed out to her.

"True," Beckett said slowly. "Alright, she can go out like this, but I wanted to give her a bath tonight."

Nodding Castle asked, "Tub?"

"They have that too," Beckett said in amusement as she knew her husband was well aware of that.

"Great," Castle said, sitting on the couch next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple saying, "I feel… weird."

Beckett laughed slightly, since she was switching the baby to her other breast, and told him, "We'll get used to this."  
"But we can't get too used to it," Castle was quick to tell her. He then said, "I noticed you hesitated."

"We need to see how she dances," Beckett replied. She then smiled and said, "But we'll find out soon enough."

Castle nodded and then watched the baby until she had finished and he was quick to take her, setting Josie against his shoulder as he stood. He looked outside while his wife was fixing her clothing and when she stood up was going to tell her she could go back outside when she cut him off by pressing her lips to his.

When they parted, Beckett said, "I couldn't resist."

"I'm glad to hear that, you're lucky no one's walking up," Castle said.

"They wouldn't, not with the adults knowing I'm nursing," Beckett said.

"What about Clive and Peter?" Castle asked.

"I'd thought of that myself, but I bet you Julia warned them," Beckett replied after she thought for a moment. "But we need to keep an eye on them."

Castle hesitated for a moment and then said, "You might want to watch out for Peter."

"I know," Beckett told him. "Is she ready?" she said as she noticed the baby was calm and had been for a while.

"Yeah," Castle replied before they went together to the sliding door once he'd given her Josie. He jogged to catch up with his wife after he'd closed the door behind him and then said, "I hope they had a lot of games for the kids."

"They do," Beckett said, unable to help smiling. When her husband made her stop, she quickly explained to him what Skye had told her about Derek and she pointed at him with her free hand saying, "Do not say a word to them."

"Okay," Castle replied simply. He was relieved when his wife looked satisfied with his answer; since he'd been serious; and he walked with her to the pool where the kids were starting to go onto the slide again, Mary calling out to them from where she was swimming to the steps with Iris on her back.

"We told them we need to leave soon," the woman said before she had her daughter get down and they went to the steps. Once they were out Mary smiled down at Josie; keeping away from her, and then said, "They want another chance."

"Have you told the kids from New York how it stays warm out here?" Beckett asked.

Mary laughed and went to grab her towel before she said, "We did but still."

"Understandable," Castle said to his wife though she was handing Josie to her father. "I'll be in the water," he then said before he went around to the deep end and dove in. When he resurfaced he saw he was close to the slide and he smiled seeing Julia flying off it into the water. He swam over to her as she was swimming away rapidly and he called to her to get her attention so she'd stop. "Hey, I just wanted to ask how your friends are all doing?" he asked her as she was treading the water and he was standing in the middle of the pool.

"They're fine," Julia said with a smile. She grew serious and said, "I know you're worried they're gonna get homesick but… When are the dogs getting here?" she asked.

"Right now," Castle said as he heard Mary calling to him and Beckett. "Have fun, we're almost ready to get out."

"You are now," Julia said with a grin. She watched her father swim rapidly over to the steps and though she wanted to follow she held back seeing her mother getting out of the water as well while her sister swam up to her speaking excitedly though sporadically since she was moving her arms and legs at the same time.

"Are the… doggies… here?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"Yeah, they're gonna go get them now," Julia replied. They went over to the stairs and stepped out, taking their towels from their grandmother. "Thanks Gram," she said first as she was hurrying to dry herself off. "I hope all the dogs are here."

Hearing barking, Eliza turned with the others to the side of the house and saw their dogs running around it. "They're here!" she cried out in joy. She ran through the open gate and to the dogs, nearly falling as Max and JoJo got to her first. She wrapped her arms around them, laughing as they started to lick at her face.

"Easy you guys," Beckett said to them before she whistled shortly. "Thank you," she said as the dogs stopped trying lick the girls' faces. "Okay, I think it's time to get ready," she told the two.

"It is," Castle said quickly as he'd looked at his watch. "But you should head over to the shower to rinse off first."

"Stay," Beckett then said to the dogs as the girls hurried over to the pool. When she was sure they'd remain on the grass she went with Castle after them and they took their turn at the outdoor shower. "We'll meet in the family room?" she asked Skye and Mary once they'd all finished.

"Exactly," the investigator answered. Skye then smiled and said, "Yeah, we'll have to take a number of cars; nothing new of course."

"What about your dad?" Castle asked, suddenly remembering Liam.

"He'll be at the restaurant, he didn't want there to be a crowd here," Mary said.

"And he'll head home after, I told him one more doesn't matter but… that's my dad for you," Skye added as they left the pool and she closed and locked the gate behind them. "We'll see you inside," she called as they were heading up to the house.

Castle and Beckett went to their guest house once they'd checked on Josie and changed together at their bed. They were swift, as they wanted to rejoin everyone else, and as they were heading downstairs she spoke quickly.

"Should we have Josie here tonight?" Beckett said.

Pausing as he was opening the front door, Castle thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure. Maybe we should let her stay for a bit with Mother, so she can get used to it there. I don't get the feeling she'd want us to take Josie too often."

Beckett began opening her mouth before she paused and then nodded before saying, "You're right, but that doesn't mean I won't take her to stay a night or two."

"Mother wouldn't be surprised," Castle replied, taking her hand and squeezing it before they left the house and he locked the door. Walking up to the house he was a little surprised to find the kids all coming out of the house and he said to his wife, "Ten kids."

"You're not counting Josie?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"I can't, she's not here," Castle replied.

"Josa's inside," Eliza said, hurrying over to them. "Are you gonna watch us?"

"Yeah," Castle replied, picking her up. "Are you tired at all?"

Shaking her head rapidly, Eliza then said, "I wanna go see the street again!"

"We are right now," Castle said as he could see his father in law coming out with Josie against his shoulder.

"Can we still play?" Julia asked, standing near them.

"We need some help," Beckett said. "We need to feed the dogs."

"Us?" Julia said, motioning to herself and the kids.

"Yeah," Castle answered. He went with them into the house and to where Skye and Mary had set the bowls for the dogs they'd bought online to send them to Santa Monica. He showed the kids that were there; the four youngest outside still with Beckett; how to feed them before they went back outside. He saw his mother had joined them and shortly after Skye and Mary were with them.

"Work?" Beckett asked her friend when she was close, a little surprised that looked to be the case since she was finishing a phone call.

"Wrapping up an investigation, I am finished now," Skye replied. "But I'll be hearing things here and there."

"Does Derek know?" Castle asked.

"Oh sure," Skye said. She shrugged at the looks the couple were giving her and then said, "But for right now let's head out so we don't miss our reservations. It's going to take us long enough to split up in the cars we need to take."

There was some laughter from the four before they began to get the kids' attention and they spoke as they went to the cars. They were able to divide between four of them and though it took a bit to get the kids into the cars they were soon on their way. In their car with Julia, Mari and Eliza, Castle and Beckett shared a look at the girls' chatter before they squeezed each other's hands, unable to help sharing their obvious excitement at their dinner before their oldest was suddenly asking them a question they both thought had been a long time coming.

"Where are we gonna eat?" Julia said, leaning over her little sister to look at their mother.

"We're here," Castle said, pulling into one of the parking structures for the Promenade.

"Dad," Julia said simply.

"We'll be walking there," Beckett replied. "And you'll see soon enough where we're going to eat."

Julia wrinkled her nose before she got out of the car once her father had found a spot and she took Mari's hand and then her sister's as she knew her mother wanted them to wait for them. "Can we walk together?"

"I'm taking Eliza," Castle told her before he swung her up onto his shoulders to her squeal of joy.

As they went down the steps to the sidewalk, Julia was a little startled when her mother stepped in between her and Mari and she asked, "Why-"

"It's safer this way," Beckett told her gently. She then looked over to the others who had arrived by then and she smiled seeing Skye was carrying Ivy. "Have they been asking?"

"As they always do," the investigator replied, smiling herself since her daughter was playing with her hair. Skye led the way down 2nd Street until they were approaching Santa Monica Boulevard, smiling again when Ivy squealed.

"I know where we're going!" the little girl said eagerly.

"You've brought them here?" Jim asked.

"Of course," Mary answered. "One of the first places we brought them to."

"Have you been to the beach?" Eliza was asking Iris, on Mary's hip.

The little girl only had a chance to nod for a moment as they were walking into the restaurant and were being led over to their tables where the kids could see two men already there.

"Grandda!" the McDouglas girls cried out before they rushed over to him.

"They took to him quickly," Martha commented to Skye and Mary.

"They did, he's good with kids and he loves our pool," the latter said with a smile. "Plus their sisters love him so they trusted him more after that."

"Derek's here too," Julia said, looking up at them.

Laughing Skye said, "Surprise." She then went over to her father and hugged him through her daughters before giving a one armed hug to her partner. "Thanks for joining the bunch," she told him.

"I'm glad to be here," Derek said.

"Have you been here before?" Kathleen asked him as they moved to sit at the tables that were pushed together.

"No, I've never heard of it before," Derek said.

"They asked if they could take his picture," Liam told his daughter once he was sitting down after shaking everyone's hand from New York. "How do you two lads like it here?" he then said.

"It's nice, their house is really nice," Peter said first.

"Are you really a pilot?" Clive asked.

"I am," Liam said with a slight laugh. "Retired from commercial flying but I do have my own plane. A small one if you will." He looked at his daughter and laughed before telling her, "You can use mine for the show."

"They want to film me flying, just an intro at the very start of the premiere episode," Skye said. "I'll be doing that next week. Speaking of the show, what time are we starting tomorrow?"

"Nine," Derek said. "We'll go shorter since we just had the flight. I think I want to make sure you recall what we've gone through so far."

"Alright," Skye said.

"What about us?" Julia couldn't help asking, trying to keep her excitement down in her tone.

"Let's order first," Beckett said quickly. "And then discuss our plans for this week." She wasn't surprised to see Julia's frown but was pleased when she merely nodded and then turned her attention to her menu as well before she recalled Eliza and her father got her attention across the table from her.


	42. There Was Applause (Part 2)

"We're going to share the roast turkey," Jim told his daughter.

"She didn't get a kid's menu?" Beckett asked.

"There's one for kids?" Jim said in surprise.

"Here," Skye said. "There're only two."

Satisfied that her father would help the little girl pick something, Beckett was about to speak when Julia to her right tugged her shirt sleeve. "Are you young enough for the kid's menu?" she asked her.

"Yeah, can I get the bangers and mash?" Julia asked.

"That's what I'm getting," Beckett replied, squeezing her hand. After they eventually ordered, she looked at Josie who was in her carrier to her left and took her out so she could hold her back against her chest.

"Hi Josa," Julia said, smiling at her baby sister. "Too bad you don't get to eat, but maybe one day we'll come back here."

"We will," Castle said, on the other side of the high chair the carrier was attached to. He smiled at Julia when she leaned over to look at him and Eliza was peering at him from across the table as well. "I'm sure we're going to want to go to Disneyland again," he commented before the little girl was gasping.

"Can we go?" Eliza asked, bouncing on her booster seat before her grandfather stopped her.

"We will," Skye commented. "And perhaps a few parks besides." She then paused and said, "We'll get back to this week, but I have something else as well," seeing the waiter coming over to them. Once they'd ordered, she said, "On Friday the LA County Fair's going to start."

"You go to a fair?" Iris asked in surprise.

"We told you," Marie said, squeezing her little sister's arm. "And it's a lot of fun. Tell them Mum."

With a smile Skye looked to Beckett and said, "They're opening a new set of horse stables there and I figured you'd like to see them."

"New set?" she asked, though she'd been immediately interested hearing that.

"Well, they used to have stables near the animal buildings but they changed it into _The Farm_ ; you'll see if we go. But these horses aren't going to be used at the race track they have there, they'll be on display like the other animals."

"I'm interested in going," Castle said. "Are you going to join us?" he asked Derek.

"Probably. If we're still on the show I bet you they'll want to film us there," the dancer said.

"Alright," Skye said. She then said, "We'll go… maybe next month sometime, we have three weeks. But about this week…"

"Has anyone seen you practicing?" Beckett asked her.

Shaking her head, Skye explained, "It's better for right now if I'm practicing with Derek alone. Next week you guys can come and watch, see how we're doing."

"Are you going to let us know what you'll dance?" Mari then asked.

With a smile Skye said, "I will, but later."

"What will we do Mom?" Julia asked as soon as the investigator had finished speaking.

Beckett was kept from answering as they were served their food but once they'd eaten for a little bit she told her daughter, "We'll get started on your school." She shared a smile with her husband as the ten school aged kids groaned in protest and she told them, "Not tomorrow, but maybe on Thursday we can start and see how the schedules we make up work out. But we do need to start since you'll be watching Skye practice next week."

"What'll we do tomorrow?" Peter asked.

"We'll see tomorrow," Beckett told him. "We might just relax and get used to being here."

After they'd returned to their food, the conversation turned to the weather since the adults from New York wanted to get an idea of how it was there. And they all agreed on their dinner plans for the next day as the meal was winding down, since Mari, Peter and Clive begged to go to the beach.

"We'll go," Castle said, squeezing Mari's shoulder as she'd gone over to him once they were getting up from the table after the meal had been paid for. "We keep forgetting you all haven't been here yet."

"Good, Julia's told me about that," Mari said with a shy smile before she took his hand that he was holding out to her.

"Are you alright?" Castle asked.

"Yeah," Mari replied. "I can talk to my family later, right?"

"As soon as we get back to the house," Castle promised her. "But your sister might be in bed."

"Oh…" Mari started to say.

"Don't worry, when we're at the house during the day you can call them a lot earlier," Castle told her reassuringly before Julia was rushing back to them. "We're going to the giftshop?" he asked his wife as he went over to her.

"Yeah, Skye and Mary want to get some things from the bakery," Beckett explained as he took Josie from her, since she'd taken the baby back out of the carrier.

"Sweet or savory?" Castle said.

"Both I think," Beckett said with a smile.

"Are we going? We'll have to keep them from ordering dessert," Castle said.

Beckett laughed and said, "They'll get dessert on the Promenade, and they're getting for all of us right now." She could tell he was about to speak and she told him, "I told her they didn't have to, but Skye insisted. And it's for lunch and dessert tomorrow."

"And the pier?" Castle asked as they walked into the gift shop and stood to the side since they didn't want to look around.

"That too," Beckett said. "Skye said it's a welcoming… treat," she said, hesitating a little before shrugging.

Laughing softly Castle kissed Josie's temple and then said, "Then once we're settled in no more sweets."

Shrugging once more, Beckett watched the kids walking around, keeping an eye on their daughter and her friends before she called them over. Shortly after Skye and Mary were rejoining them with their daughters and Derek and they left together for the Promenade. "What are we doing here?" she asked her friends.

"They'd like to go to the bookstore of course," Skye said first.

"But our girls are asking for gelato in the middle," Mary replied, nodding to the structure they were near.

"Anything down at the other end?" Castle asked, looking down at the street.

"Not exactly," Skye said though she hesitated at first. She wasn't surprised when Beckett looked at her and she explained, "There's a stationary store; I know my girls and Julia and Mari would like to go there. But the boys…"

"Nothing around for them?" Castle said, glancing about.

"The Lego store," Mary told her wife.

"Oh, that's right," Skye said immediately in remembrance. "There's one about midway down, you can head there if you'd like to."

"Alright," Castle said.

"What about the gelato?" a voice said next to them. Julia smiled when the adults looked at her and said, "We didn't forget about it."

"We're going to some stores first," Castle told her. "We should get that now?"

Julia laughed and nodded before Skye was telling them where they were going to go, not surprised when the boys agreed to going to the Lego store immediately. But she, Mari and the other girls were quick to tell the adults they wanted to go as well.

"We'll go," Beckett said reassuringly. "But first the stationary store. Eliza?"

"I wanna go with Daddy," the little girl said hurriedly.

"Alright, we won't take that long over there," Beckett was saying to her husband.

"Take her, I'll keep an eye on the two," Castle said, nodding at Peter and Clive. "But I'll take her once you come in so you can take them around."

"Or you will," Beckett replied.

Castle started to open his mouth before he nodded and said, "Alright, but you'll walk with us." He laughed when she looked at him and said, "We'll see you there love."

Beckett shook her head and then turned her attention to Julia and Mari, walking with them behind the McDouglases. She smiled as she listened to her daughter telling her best friend about the pier again while they made their way down the street to their first store of the evening.

* * *

"The envelope," Skye said.

"That's just a piece of paper _grá_ ," Mary said wryly to her wife. "Just tell them already. Julia's about to explode."

"Hey!" the girl said before she started to laugh. "I do want to know," Julia said to the investigator. She was startled when the woman handed her the paper and she opened it reading, " _Skye and Derek; Jive_." She gasped and said, "Your very first dance? And with how tall you are?"

Laughing Skye said, "I had the same reaction you did. But apparently…"

"She's good at kicking her legs," Derek said when the investigator looked at him.

"We'll see?" Clive asked. When the pro nodded, he grinned at his friends before he frowned and then asked, "The song?"

"Just a moment," Skye replied before she held up her phone.

"Paul!" Julia said eagerly as she immediately recognized the intro to the song _Save Us_. "Really?"

"Really," Skye said. She then glanced over at Beckett and said, "A bit on the nose if you ask me."

"What're your costumes?" she asked.

"Do you know Stella's making those?" Julia asked before the investigator or dancer could reply.

"She told me," Derek answered. "It shocked me, but they'll be simple costumes."

"Do the other dancers mind?" Martha asked.

Shaking her head Skye said, "They said I'd be lucky if I was able to get costumes from her, if she wasn't too busy. And some of them want to use the designers the show has. But she's already started the first ones, shirts and black trousers with strips of black… sequins or fake black diamonds or whatever." She had to pause there are there was some laughter and she smiled herself before continuing with, "Those'll be a stripe on the side of the trousers. And we'll be wearing pilot coats and then caps but those'll be taken off before we start." She thought of something and said, "We have a story to go with the dance… well, more to start things off."

"Len?" Julia, Mari, Peter and Clive asked at the same time.

Skye was laughing with the others as the four looked at each other and started to laugh themselves, and she was about to answer their question when her partner was doing so before her.

"He knows that for her dances we'll have some story to them since we'll have special permission to use the songs," Derek said. "But we'd have to take it easy on them, he wouldn't want us fiddling about before we start the dance."

"That's a horrible impression," Skye said laughingly. "Don't do that again." They were laughing again and when she'd calmed down she told the others, "So that's week one."

"You guys know how to dance that right?" Derek asked the four kids.

"Yeah, we've danced it loads of times," Peter said first, kicking his leg.

"We can't see how you're going to dance?" Julia said interestedly.

"Oh no, not until next week," Derek replied. "But why don't you show me a little of the moves you know?"

Julia looked at Peter and swallowed a little hard before she said, "Okay."

"What have you danced to?" Derek asked.

"That same song," Castle said before the kids could reply.

"Just them though," Clive was quick to say.

"Just a few steps," Derek said. "And I'm not judging, I just want to see how much your teacher's taught you."

Seeing the look the two kids exchanged, Beckett wasn't sure if they would dance. But her daughter was going with Peter over to where there was some space in between the flight of stairs and kitchen table and she smiled reassuringly at her when Julia looked at her. She felt her husband squeezing her hand and she did the same back to him before the song was starting over again on Skye's phone and their daughter and Peter began to dance.

Castle looked over at Derek during the song and he studied the man for a moment before he realized he had a very good poker face. Though he was slightly impatient he waited until the two stopped and were panting, looking at the pro-dancer as the others were once they had finished applauding.

Stepping to Skye, Derek murmured into her ear, "If Mari and Clive are as good as they are then I think they're all dancing."

"Oh aye, they are," the investigator replied with a wide smile.

"Okay, you two will definitely be dancing," Derek said first to Julia and Peter. "But I would like to see you two dancing too."

"Um," Mari said, looking at her partner.

"The Jive too?" Clive asked slowly.

"Do you have a song for that?" Skye asked them.

" _I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday_ ," Mari said, looking at her partner questioningly.

When Clive nodded Skye got the song on her phone saying, "I hope you mean Paul's version." When the pair nodded, she smiled and then played the song, watching them to see they were nearly equal to Julia and Peter. She wasn't surprised when Clive nearly missed a step as she guessed they were both nervous. But when they stopped she joined the others in applauding before saying, "I think I was right."  
"You were, so you'll have some great help if you need it," Derek said.

"Wait, what about the other stars? It doesn't seem fair," Julia couldn't help saying.

"We've asked them all and they're fine, I don't know if they think you'll help that much," Derek answered. "And really it'll just be pointers, I'll take care of the choreography and teaching her those moves. As for dancing outside practice it'd be separate, or you'd just be in the background or to start things off."

"You should choreograph," Peter said before they laughed. He started to go with his friends over to the space in front of the couch when Derek spoke again.

"I need to head back home," the dancer said with a smile. "But it's been great to meet all of you. This should be an interesting season."

"We're not all going to be there," Liam commented wryly.

"But a few of you are," Derek said. "Like I said, it'll be interesting."

After they had all said goodbye to the dancer, Liam took his leave after he promised his family he would be back the next day and Beckett took the chance to head upstairs to Martha's room to check on Josie.

The baby was still fast asleep and after she had fixed the thin blanket over her, Beckett went to the door and was startled for a moment when her husband nearly ran into her. "Are they looking for me?" she asked softly as she was closing the door slightly behind her.

"No, I was," Castle replied. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Beckett said with a smile, handing him the tablet she'd taken with her.

Seeing the baby on the screen, asleep, Castle nodded and said, "Okay, that's all I wanted." He wasn't surprised to see the look of doubt on her face and told her, "Honestly, they're going to wonder why we're taking so long."

"Thank you for that at least," Beckett replied. She then said with a smile as they took each other's hands and started over to the stairs, "Does it seem odd we've just had dinner and spent time with Derek?"

"Mind blowing," Castle commented. He squeezed his wife's hand when she smiled, and they headed back down to the family room. "What did you guys decide to do?"

"Just games," Julia answered first. "We don't have that much longer until bed, do we?"

"No, we've all been up a little late," Castle commented.

"All of us," Skye said pointedly to her daughters.

"But we didn't fly," Marie said jokingly.

"Doesn't matter," Mary said, coming over with glasses of milk on a tray. "Drink these and then all of you are going to bed."

"And please don't drink it slowly," Beckett told the kids quickly. "We'll notice." She shared a smile with Skye at the grumbling of the kids; knowing they were doing so jokingly; and then went to sit next to her father on the couch. "Everything alright?" she asked him as he was looking at his phone.

"It is," Jim said, pocketing the cell. "I was just checking my e-mails."

"Anything?" Beckett asked.

"Not really, everyone I know back at home is aware that I was traveling," Jim said with a smile.

"You're not tired?" Beckett said, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Slightly, but I'll go to bed once you get the kids to bed," Jim assured her. He looked over to the kids as Fleur was groaning loudly suddenly, getting their attention.

"Mummy-" the little girl said in protest.

"Come on," Skye said. "I think we need some rest; all of us."

"Are you going to bed too?" Ivy asked, hurrying to her as she picked up Fleur.

"Of course, I need my rest for practice tomorrow," Skye said. "That way I won't be tired at breakfast tomorrow."

Heading upstairs, after they'd managed to get the kids from their games, the adults herded them into their rooms once they'd said goodnight to Martha and Jim. And since only Eliza needed Beckett's help, Castle stayed out in the hallway with Skye and Mary. He was going to speak to them at first when the latter left them, and he watched her go over to Fleur's room before he turned to the investigator. He was planning to ask her if she had been enjoying her time practicing when the woman spoke before he could to his surprise.

"I need to talk to you both once they're all set," Skye told him.

"Bad or good?" Castle asked slowly.

Laughing briefly Skye then said, "Not bad for you, I'm not sure if your wife will be all that happy."

"We'll find out," Castle said before Fleur was appearing in the doorway.

"She fell asleep," the little girl said.

"Too much for her today," Skye said with a smile.

Castle merely nodded in response before he was heading into the room saying to his wife, "Julia?"

"I'm here Dad," the girl said from behind him. Julia smiled at them both before she said, "I knew she was gonna fall asleep." She then went over to the bed and said, "Night Lizzy, love you," softly before she stepped back.

"I already said," Beckett told her husband gently.

Castle moved to press a kiss gently to the top of Eliza's forehead and murmured he loved her before he stepped back and left with his wife and their second oldest. He glanced at Beckett, wondering if she minded not tucking in Eliza since Fleur needed to get into bed still.

"Come on, you two need to get to bed," she told Julia. "And remember tomorrow we're still relaxing," Beckett added as she put her hand on her daughter's back and they made their way down to the room the girl would be sharing with Mari. When they stepped inside, she wasn't too surprised to find the girl on the bed and crying softly, but immediately became concerned as she hurried over to her.

"I miss my family," Mari said. "But… I went to Japan before," she added, sniffing a little.

"It's alright," Beckett said, sitting on the bed and bringing her into her embrace. "Your parents will try to come over when they can if we stay for long."

"I hope so," Mari said. She smiled when her friend looked surprised and she said, "I want Skye to last on the show for as long as possible."

Castle was about to comment on that when he felt someone was behind him, turning to see that it was the two boys. He was about to ask them if they'd brushed their teeth when his wife was calling over to them.

"Your mom and dad told me to hug you goodnight for them," Beckett told the two when they had reached where she was sitting. "But I let them know I would ask to see what you-" she started to say before Peter was wrapping his arms around her. She smiled at her husband as she embraced him back before she said, "Your mom was worried how you'd be. But hopefully we'll keep busy enough that we won't get homesick."

Stepping back then Peter mumbled, "Thanks."

"You're very welcome," Beckett said, squeezing his shoulder.

"Wait, you get homesick too?" Clive asked.

"Of course," Castle answered before his wife could say anything. "But we tend to keep busy so we don't think about it too much."

"Oh, cool," Clive said. He hugged Beckett quickly with one arm and said, "Should we get into the bed in the other room?"

"Girls," Beckett said. "We're going to get them into bed and come back."

"Alright," Julia said. But once they'd left she said to Mari, "I want to go to see what they do." She smiled when her friend nodded and they went to the hall and down to the room next door, standing in the doorway before her mother noticed them first.

"We're just making sure they're comfortable," Beckett told them. She turned to the two boys and sure they were alright laying down she covered them with the sheet and said, "Goodnight, please try not to talk for too long," though Peter was yawning as she spoke and Clive was following him. She smiled and squeezed their shoulders briefly before she stood and let Castle wave to them, walking over to the girls in the doorway.

When they were inside their room, Mari hugged Castle and Beckett quickly telling them, "Night."

"Goodnight," Castle said first. "Hopefully you'll sleep alright here."

"I will," Mari replied before she went to get onto the bed.

"Love you Mom, Dad," Julia said, hugging them at the same time since they'd been standing together. "I hope we can go to the pool tomorrow."  
"I'm sure we will," Castle replied. "Love you too Julia," he told her, giving her a hug on his own. He leaned over to share a quick kiss with her and let her go over to her mother as he and Mari were watching.

"Please get rest, I know this-" Beckett began, holding Julia by her shoulders.

"I know it's not a vacation," Julia interrupted, smiling widely at her mother when she looked startled. "Not if we have to go to school." She then embraced her mother saying, "What are we gonna do now though?"

"We hope you kids'll let us try out teaching you," Beckett said, leading her over to the bed with Castle following them.

"Your mom is going to teach the first class," he commented while Julia got onto the bed. "French," Castle said to the girls' questioning look.

"Just to test things out and because I can teach all of you together," Beckett said. "Though I wish Skye was here at least Mary is."

"And Fleur," Mari added.

"She'll be your TA," Castle told his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "No, she'll help me when I need it."

"Sounds cool," Julia said while she and Mari got their legs under the sheet. "But how're you going to do it? We're in three different grades… four, I forgot about Lizzy," she then said, admitting the last sheepishly.

"There are four of us; Mary too," Castle reminded her. "But I think your grandpapa might teach your little sister on his own since first grad isn't too bad. And we'll take care of everything for you seventh, sixth and third graders."

"Oh… that's fine," Julia said after thinking about that. She smiled at her mother as she walked over to her and she wrapped her arms around her, sharing a kiss with her.

"I love you sweetie, sweet dreams tonight," Beckett said. When they let go of each other she asked, "Happy?"

"Yeah," Julia said, knowing her mother was referencing them dancing in front of Derek and meeting him again.

"Good, night you two," Beckett said, tucking them in once they were laying down. She squeezed Mari's arm and brushed her lips to Julia's forehead after Castle had told them goodnight and they replied. She and her husband walked out hand in hand, closing the light and the door slightly. She wasn't surprised to see Skye and Mary down the hall and when the former gestured, they followed the two down to the kitchen before the investigator was asking them both a question that wasn't a surprise either.

"Would you two like a cuppa?" Skye said to them.

"Sure," Beckett said first.

"You said you wanted to talk to us," Castle reminded her as they were watching Mary fill the kettle.

"Oh, right," Skye said quickly. She then smiled and said, "Zak Bagans got in touch with me a couple weeks ago."

"For what?" Beckett said slowly.

"To go to the Queen Mary," Skye said simply.

"A third investigation?" Castle asked.

Nodding Skye then said, "So we'll be heading there to check out the ship."

"You told him about me," Beckett said when the investigator glanced at her. She wasn't surprised when Skye nodded and then asked, "Did you tell him about Julia?"

"I did, it was impossible not to so I told him and he's asked…" the investigator said, spreading her hands apart as she trailed off.

"She's not going to be on the show," Beckett said firmly.

"Kate-" Castle started to say.

"I don't want her to be on TV for that," Beckett interrupted. "She…"

"I'd let her decide," Mary said, walking over with the kettle as its whistling had interrupted her. "But tell her what people back home and at their school might think."

"She's had experience with that before," Castle said, explaining what had happened at Julia's time at camp.

"Oh, she told me about that," Skye said, sipping her tea as she'd finished getting it ready. "But would you allow her to if she wanted to?"

"Yes, but I would be insistent about someone being with her at all times," Beckett said though she started slowly at first. "No investigating on her own."

"I wouldn't recommend it," Skye said. "Not that young."

Castle squeezed his wife's hand gently, and he took a sip of his tea before he set his mug down on the island, about to ask Skye what he'd wanted to earlier when she was speaking first.

"Are you wondering how the practicing's been going?" the investigator asked him. When he nodded, Skye smiled and then said, "It's been good, a bit odd because I'm still in disbelief I'm going to be on the show."

"You haven't seen her at all?" Beckett asked the doctor.

Mary smiled and said, "I will soon. But someone needed to stay and keep an eye on the girls."

"You're alright with all five of them?" Castle said.

"I am," Mary replied. "Remember Marie and Kath are older now, they're a very big help."

"Why didn't you let them go at least?" Beckett directed to the investigator.

"I suppose at first a bit of embarrassment," Skye said with a smile. "And once I got more comfortable, I did want to wait for your daughter and the other three."

"Why-" Beckett started to say.

"She's my niece, isn't she?" Skye interrupted, smiling again. "But I did want to give her the chance since I know how much she's always loved the show. And Derek. Next week you'll be there but remember the cameras will be there as well."

"Hard to forget," Castle said.

"We're prepared," Beckett said wryly. She finished the last of her tea and said, "How will you teach them Japanese?"

"Are they all agreed on the language?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, though I wonder if you want your kids to know that," Castle said.

Shaking her head Skye said, "We don't, but what other choice do we have?"

"We'll talk to them tomorrow, I know your list of languages," Beckett said before she paused in handing her mug over to Mary. "Spanish," she said. "They decided on French instead of that, but I'd like our girls to know," she said, looking at her husband before they waited for Skye to reply to that.

"Yeah, we'll do that," the investigator replied. "But only if they'd like to. They need to have a say in that you know."

"We were aware, but you know Spanish way better," Castle commented to both.

"And that's why we'll teach them," Mary said. "You don't want another cup?"

"No, I think we'll head back to the guest house," Beckett said first after her husband looked at her. "Could you check on the boys when you head upstairs?"

"Just them?" Skye asked in surprise.

Nodding, Beckett said, "I think they'd spend more time talking. But with all our traveling they might be asleep."

"I'll check," Skye assured her. "Will you have breakfast with us?"

"We will," Castle said with a nod. "What time?"

"It needs to be early for me," Skye said. "So I don't get sick while we're practicing. Seven forty-five unfortunately."

"Will you wake up the kids?" Beckett asked, surprised by that.

Shaking their heads, Skye and Mary looked at each other and the latter said, "We eat together… we've been eating together. But you guys can join if you want now you know what time it is."

"We better join the kids and our parents," Castle said, looking at his wife before she nodded and then moved around the island to Skye.

"Thank you again, I promise I won't be saying that repeatedly," Beckett told the investigator as they embraced one another briefly.

"I know, but you're welcome," Skye said. "I'm glad that you're all here, our turn to repay you the use of your home to stay in."

"I wasn't really looking at it in that way," Beckett said. "We still have to talk about this schedule of things to do around school and the show."

Giving Castle a quick hug Skye said, "I know, hopefully we can manage that since the girls are wild about heading to Disneyland and Knott's at the least."

"Knott's?" Beckett asked, the name familiar though she wasn't sure why.

"Knott's Berry Farm," Mary said quickly. "They say it's the first theme park… since it was opened in 1920. But it's a fun park whether or not it is. There are a number of thrill rides, but it'd be something to check out since it's famous."

"And have their friend chicken," Skye commented. "And boysenberry jam."

"That's where I know the name from," Beckett said suddenly. She smiled when the others looked at her and she told them, "May had a jar of that once when we were at Stanford, she had me try it."

"Great, you could taste it again," Skye said with a smile.

"Yes, we can go," Beckett said, shaking her head though she was smiling at the same time. "And we'll plan tomorrow."

"Good idea, night you guys," Mary said first.

"Night," Castle and Beckett called together before they were leaving and walking across the yard to the guesthouse.

"Did you still want to take a shower?" Castle asked his wife once she'd locked the door behind them.

"I would," Beckett said. "Traveling and the pool I would like to wash with soap."

"Can I help?" Castle said. He was startled when his wife just smiled before she was reaching out to him and pulling him over to the stairs with her. With every step he felt himself becoming more eager and he tried not to run the last few ones to the top.

"Okay?" Beckett asked, turning to him.

Castle was about to explain why he was going a little quicker after her when he paused as she was smiling. "You read me too easily," he said, pretending to be annoyed.

"That's something you're going to complain about?" Beckett said with a slight smirk before she went over to the bathroom. She wasn't surprised when he was nearly jogging in after her and closing the door.

When it slammed a little behind him, Castle winced but his attention was soon taken over by his wife wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips to his. He held her tightly to his chest as his hands spanned her back and their tongues tangled together hungrily before they had to part for air. "Kate," he groaned heavily before he leaned down to kiss at her neck and earlobe after pushing her hair out of the way. He shuddered at her moan of delight in his kisses and he couldn't stop himself, taking her lobe gently and sucking at it until he forced himself away from her. He was breathing hard and said, "I don't know what you'd like," to explain why he'd moved.

"Let's get into the shower first," Beckett said after she had taken a moment to regroup herself. She pulled off her shirt first as fast as she could before she removed the rest of her clothes and stepped into the shower. She wasn't surprised when her husband was right behind her and she soon found herself pressed against the tiles behind her. "Rick," she said as he leaned down to her. "Water."

Though he didn't want to, Castle turned and got the water started before he returned to her and crushed his lips against hers. He pulled her back with him so they were underneath the showerhead, getting soaked. As soon as they had stopped he reached down her back, cupping her ass reverently before he asked her, "Kate?"

Unable to help smiling, Beckett brushed her lips against his and then told him, "Touch me," before she nibbled at his lower lip for a moment.

As soon as she'd spoken, Castle was carefully pushing her back against the wall again, reaching down in between her legs where he fingered her clit. He was watching her at the same time closely, seeing the way her teeth bit at her lower lip before he kissed her. He was gentle as he didn't let it last for very long and he moved back in time to feel her hand grasping at his arm. "Too much?" he said in slight surprise.

Shaking her head, Beckett said, "No, could you use your mouth a little?" She was very pleased when he knelt instantly, and said in concern, "Your knee-"

"It's fine," Castle said in a rush before he was wrapping his arms around her legs so he could hold her as he leaned his face into her sex. He found her clit easily and proceeded to lap at it, going slowly at first before he rubbed his tongue directly over it in a short stroke that was making her cry out. He was groaning himself and hearing her call of his name reminded him that that affected her as well. He quickly made himself focus on her again before she was squeezing hard on his shoulder. Since he already knew that was what she wanted he stood up and then said, "Too much?"

"Yeah," Beckett replied, smiling before she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her. They proceeded to kiss and passionately that time, Castle's hands running all around her though she couldn't help noticing he was avoiding her breasts. It was frustrating, but she was slightly distracted as he was moving his right hand around her hip down to her mound. "Ooh," she moaned as he found her clit. She couldn't stop herself from moving with him, thrusting, before his fingers were slipping lower.

Gently fingering her folds, Castle watched his wife and saw she was trying to grip the tiles behind her with her nails though she had no purchase. The sight was arousing, and he moved to slip his first two fingers within her. He thrust them carefully at first, his gaze still on her, just taking the satisfaction in seeing her pleasure while he was speeding up. He did that for some time until he could tell she was getting close. He moved then, rubbing her clit and holding her in his left arm so he could have her pressed up against his front partially while she was moving.

"Rick… don't… don't come… not until I'm…" Beckett started to say before her husband was stopping and holding her in place, kissing her hard. She reached up to him to cup his cheek the best she could and they were rolling their tongues around each other. When they'd stopped she told him firmly, "Hurry, I want your cock."

Castle did his best not to react besides brushing his lips against hers though he was heavily aroused. He rubbed his hand up and down her side and his right was rubbing her swollen nub a little harder. He was still staring at her, wanting to see the moment when she reached her ultimate pleasure.

Though she'd tried to stop herself, Beckett was moving her body in time with her husband's and she cried out as the first rough jolts of delight were hitting her. It didn't take her very long and she was shortly after falling over the edge, holding onto Castle as tightly as she could while calling his name. She was still moving, and she wasn't surprised when he soon had to hold her in place nearly desperately with his left arm as she wasn't stopping. But the ecstasy that was quick to flood her entire form was soon lessening and she was breathing hard as she stopped moving and shortly after slumped against him as he held her up with both his arms.

"You're so fucking beautiful love," Castle told her huskily as he kissed at her temple. He could feel her soon regaining her strength and he was going to help her stand up before she did that herself. He wasn't surprised when she was kissing him, and he was quick to respond to her desire he could feel in her lips. They were involved in that for some time before they were parting with gasps of air, still holding onto one another. He was about to ask her if she wanted to do anything in particular when she was covering his mouth lightly with her hand and telling him that with a smile on her face that made his heart thud and his member throb in desire.

"I'll do the same for you," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband froze.

When she took her hand off his mouth Castle said quickly, "Exactly the same?"

Beckett couldn't help laughing and she told him, "No, but you'll see." And with that she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him as she forced him to walk back until they were underneath the water again. When they parted, she kissed along his jaw and was about to move down to his neck before he suddenly stopped her. "What-" she started to say before he was kissing her roughly again.

As soon as he had stopped, Castle was kissing a little wildly along her neck and then jaw holding her so tightly against him that he didn't realize he was risking hurting her until she told him. "Sorry, I'm sorry," he panted as he let her go instantly. "I… wanted to do the same."

Cupping his face, Beckett brushed her lips to his and murmured to him, "I know, but you've had your turn."

"You want yours that badly?" Castle asked. When his wife simply smirked, he was literally gulping at the sight of her expression and he let her step up to him, running her hands over his chest. He was breathing hard again as she reached his stomach, and he closed his eyes to help brace himself for her touch which he felt a second later. "Love," he groaned heavily as she gently fingered the very tip of his length.

Beckett didn't reply, her attention more on what she was doing as she watched his reaction to her. She bit her lower lip when her mouth suddenly throbbed and she kissed him hungrily before he was responding to her, holding her close. When she pulled away from him, she got onto her knees swiftly and took his erection in her hand, lowering her mouth on him before she began to bob her head up and down.

Though he didn't want to, Castle tangled his fingers through his wife's hair while he watched her moving over him. He was biting at the inside of his mouth at the sensation of her doing that, realizing that because he'd pushed himself so close to the edge working over her he was close already. "Kate… I can't…" he started to say.

"Don't worry," Beckett said, pulling away so she could speak. She was still moving her hand over him and watched herself doing that before she reached up with her other hand.

Letting out a loud curse as she cupped him and fondled a second later, Castle tried to reach down to stop her when she slapped away his hand lightly. "Love-" he started to say desperately.

"Here," Beckett said, standing up though she wasn't letting go of him. She brushed her lips against his and murmured into his ear, leaning back to look at him for his reply. When he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall again she had only a moment to prepare herself for his lips coming down to hers, crushing her own. She held onto him while she gently tugged on his member until he moved so he was cradled between her legs. When he picked her up, she was wrapping her arms around his neck, moving with him slowly to arouse herself as she'd told him he could fuck her as long as he aroused her enough. A moment later her husband was reaching in between them, rubbing at her clit and making her cry out and clutch at him.

"Love," Castle said, stopping her from moving and just rubbing at her swollen nub. He did that for a moment and then said, "How will I know?"

"That's enough," Beckett said, her voice shaking slightly. "I… I was already getting aroused before."

Castle knew that was a perfect opening for a joke, but he decided it wasn't necessary as his wife was moving against him. He helped her move his length until he could slip inside of her and once their hips were pressed together he kissed her hard. At the same time he began to move, thrusting hard while they clutched at each other, groaning as he wasn't sure he would be able to satisfy her before he broke. But she was pulling away and he murmured that to her, not surprised when she made him stop moving.

Taking her husband's hand, Beckett made him touch her clit and she was a little startled when he had her keep her hand there. She bit at her lower lip for a moment before she couldn't fight the moans that were growing at the back of her throat. She grasped the back of his head as her arousal; already heavy; began to grow stronger and she gasped to him, "Fuck me… oh please fuck me lover!"

With the intensity of his wife's voice affecting him, Castle couldn't say no to her and he moved his hand so he could thrust again. He was fast and hard so he could hear the satisfying sound of their hips slapping together. He was soon being kissed by her and he responded enthusiastically though they had to part to be able to breathe which happened often as they were both moving hard. He had no idea how long they were being so roughly intimate but finally his body was at the point of no return. He groaned out her name before she was crying out and arching her back so hard he had to hold onto her more securely though he didn't mind in the slightest.

"Rick… love… I'm… please don't stop… fucking… me… Rick!" Beckett somehow was able to say to him as her orgasm struck her hard. She could dimly hear over the sound of her pounding heart that she was calling his name repeatedly, and soon after him calling hers when he joined her in his pleasure. She stopped moving before he did and just held onto him, breathing hard against his shoulder as he thrust for a little longer before he stopped, groaning heavily against her shoulder his face was pressed into.

"Kate, you… _bandia_ ," Castle said, calling her a goddess. When he felt strong enough, he pulled back and helped her down before he was kissing her hard, gathering her up in his arms and nearly picking her up. They kept that up for a while before he forced himself to stop and he said, "Here," helping her back under the water.

"Maybe we should have done that on the bed," Beckett told him.

Pausing in getting some of her shampoo on his hand, Castle studied her and stated instead of asking, "You don't mean that do you."

Beckett started to say one thing before she stopped herself and turned around, letting him start to lather the shampoo through her locks. She sighed and told him, "I would but it was a little too much today. I'm just glad we were able to do what we did."

"So am I," Castle commented.

"Pervert," Beckett said though she was smiling widely as she spoke. She then closed her eyes as he was massaging her scalp at the same time and she enjoyed that until he stopped. She stood under the water again and while she took care of her conditioner she watched him washing his hair.

"Why're you smiling?" Castle asked as he was finishing.

"No, just… watching you," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised when he reached for her and she let him take her so they could wash each other off. As soon as they had finished she turned off the water, not surprised when her husband reached for her. "Easy love," she told him with a laugh. "We need to get some sleep."

Castle opened his mouth; about to tell her they didn't; when he realized what he was about to say. So instead he stepped with his wife outside so they could dry off and get ready for bed.

"Rick," Beckett said as he had finished first. She smiled when he leaned against the counter next to her and she looked at him saying, "How did you know?"

"I just figured," Castle said with a shrug of one of his shoulders. He looked on while she washed her face and then reached for her as she set her towel aside.

"You-" was all Beckett had the chance to say before her husband was pulling her close. She took his kiss as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing close against him as their tongues rubbed together in her mouth. When they parted she said, "You couldn't resist could you?"

"Not really," Castle said before he then picked her up to her gasp of surprise.

"Is there any reason why you like doing that?" Beckett asked him while he was carrying her out into the bedroom.

"Not really," Castle said with a smile before he set her down next to the bed. He went back to the bathroom and turned off the light before he hurried back to her. "Would you believe me if I told you I've thought about carrying you since we first met?"

"No," Beckett said simply as she lay against his side since he'd been climbing into bed while he spoke.

"The day after?" Castle asked before he was laughing at the way she pinched his side. He then pressed his lips to her forehead telling her, "I like feeling you in my arms. Not in a damsel in dist-"

"I know what you mean," Beckett said with a smile. She pressed a few kisses to his jaw and told him, "I don't mind you doing that, but give me some warning."

"I'll try," Castle said before they were laughing together. When they had calmed down he said as he reached over to turn off the light. "Hard to believe we're here finally."

"It'll be interesting to see how everything goes," Beckett said. They were quiet for a while before she then said, "I'm glad she's so happy."  
"Me too, let's hope she gets to dance," Castle told her.

Beckett nodded, and they were silent again until she turned closer to him murmuring, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle said, caressing her hair.

They shared a kiss and soon after were murmuring goodnight to each other before he held her to him. Beckett fell asleep shortly after, Castle not far behind her, their exhaustion from their intimacy and traveling aiding them. But they couldn't help thinking before they nodded off that their autumn was going to be an interesting one and found they were both looking forward to seeing what would happen next as they prepared for the upcoming show.


End file.
